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Updated: Jun 14, 2026
Analysis of Developing Tooth Germ Innervation Using Microfluidic Co-culture Devices
Published on: August 14, 2015
EMMPRIN (basigin/CD147) is involved in the morphogenesis of tooth germ in mouse molars
Ming Xie1, Ting Jiao, Yuqin Chen
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Prosthodontics, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, China. hookxie@126.com
Abstract:
The pattern of gene expression for extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) was revealed in the tooth germ of mouse mandibular molars using quantitative real-time PCR. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical study demonstrated the characteristic distribution of EMMPRIN in the different stages of tooth germ development. To investigate the functional role played by EMMPRIN in tooth germ development, EMMPRIN siRNA interference approach was carried out in cultured mouse mandibles at embryonic day 11.0 (E11.0). The results showed that EMMPRIN siRNA-treated explants exhibited a marked growth inhibition of tooth germ compared to the control and scrambled siRNA-treated explants. Meanwhile, a significant increase in MT1-MMP mRNA expression and a reduction in MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, MMP-13 and MT2-MMP mRNA expression were observed in the mouse mandibles following EMMPRIN abrogation. The current results indicate that EMMPRIN could thus be involved in the early stage of tooth germ development and morphogenesis, possibly by regulating the expression of MMP genes.
