Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 31, 2026
07:47
The Slice Culture Method for Following Development of Tooth Germs In Explant Culture
Published on: November 13, 2013
14.8K
Twist1 Is Essential for Tooth Morphogenesis and Odontoblast Differentiation
Tian Meng1, Yanyu Huang2, Suzhen Wang3
1From the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Craniofacial Research and Diagnosis, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas 75246, the State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Department of Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|October 22, 2015
Summary
Twist1 is crucial for tooth development, regulating cell proliferation and signaling pathways. Its absence leads to smaller tooth germs, abnormal cusps, and defective dentin and enamel formation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Twist1 is a transcription factor vital for embryonic development.
- Its specific role in tooth morphogenesis requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of Twist1 in tooth development using a conditional knockout mouse model.
- To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying Twist1's role in odontogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Generation of Twist1 conditional knockout mice (Twist2(Cre) (/+);Twist1(fl/fl)).
- Histological and molecular analyses of tooth germ development.
- In vitro Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays.
Main Results:
- Twist1 knockout embryos exhibited smaller tooth germs and abnormal cusp formation.
- Reduced cell proliferation and altered expression of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and FGF receptors were observed.
- Transplanted mutant molars showed defective crown dentin, enamel, odontoblast, and ameloblast differentiation.
- Twist1 directly binds to the Fgf10 promoter region.
Conclusions:
- Twist1 is essential for regulating tooth development, including cell proliferation and differentiation.
- The FGF signaling pathway is a key mechanism through which Twist1 exerts its functions in tooth morphogenesis.
- These findings provide insights into the genetic regulation of craniofacial development.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Tooth Anatomy
2.9K
The human tooth enables us to eat a variety of foods, speak clearly, and even aid in shaping our faces. Teeth are composed of various elements that work together. Here's a detailed look at the anatomy of a human tooth.
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
2.9K
01:51Determination
21.4K
During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In...
21.4K
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
2.6K
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
2.6K
01:10Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation
7.3K
The development of all multicellular organisms starts with the fusion of haploid cells called sperm and egg to form a diploid zygote. A zygote is a totipotent cell that can develop into a complete organism. The zygote undergoes cell division or cleavage to form an 8-cell mass. Until this stage, the cells are spherical, loosely attached, and remain totipotent. Totipotent cells are capable of developing both the embryonic and the extraembryonic tissues. However, as they continue to divide, they...
7.3K
01:29Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
15.7K
Intramembranous ossification is one of the two processes involved in the development of bones within an embryo. The flat bones of the face, most of the cranial bones, and the clavicles are formed via this process. During intramembranous ossification, the bones develop directly from sheets of undifferentiated mesenchymal connective tissue.
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into ...
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into ...
15.7K
01:15Teeth
2.3K
The formation of teeth, also known as odontogenesis, is a complex process that begins in utero, around the sixth week of embryonic development. There are three stages to this process: the bud stage, the cap stage, and the bell stage.
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
2.3K