Signaling in tooth, hair, and mammary placodes

Skin appendages develop from placodes involving reciprocal interactions between the surface ectoderm and the underlying mesenchyme during embryogenesis. Despite their distinct shapes and functions, during early development similar morphological changes are observed among different skin appendages. Previous analyses of genetically modified mice have shown that these skin placodes share many aspects of molecular and cellular programs controlled by a relatively small number of signaling pathways during induction, morphogenesis, and transition to bud stage and beyond. This chapter focuses on the major signaling pathways that are reiteratively utilized to control the early developmental processes of placodes for teeth, hair follicles, and mammary glands. I update knowledge on the roles played by individual pathways and cross talk among them in these placodes and discuss similarities as well as differences among the skin appendages.