Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026
07:57
Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis
Published on: August 15, 2018
14.8K
Cell cycle of the enamel knot during tooth morphogenesis
Seo-Yoon Jung1, David William Green1, Han-Sung Jung2,3
1Division in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Department of Oral Biology, Oral Science Research Center, BK21 PLUS Project, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, South Korea.
Histochemistry and Cell Biology
|April 14, 2018
Summary
The enamel knot (EK) and inner dental epithelium (IDE) have different cell cycle lengths during tooth development. This difference in cell cycle phasing is crucial for understanding cusp patterning and tooth morphogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Oral Biology
- Cell Cycle Research
Background:
- The enamel knot (EK) is a key signaling center in tooth development, critical for cusp patterning.
- Understanding the cell cycle dynamics of the EK and inner dental epithelium (IDE) is essential for elucidating tooth morphogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the cell cycle phasing and sequencing of the primary enamel knot (EK) and inner dental epithelium (IDE) during early tooth development.
- To determine the relationship between cell cycle differences and cusp patterning.
Main Methods:
- Utilized thymidine analogs, specifically 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (IdU) and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), for cell cycle analysis.
- Administered IdU and BrdU at calculated time points with a 4-hour interval in developing mouse and gerbil embryos.
- Evaluated cell cycle phase by analyzing the expression patterns of IdU and BrdU in the IDE and EK cells.
Main Results:
- The cell cycle in the inner dental epithelium (IDE) of both mouse and gerbil embryos was found to be synchronous.
- The primary enamel knot (EK) in mouse embryos exhibited a significantly longer cell cycle duration compared to the IDE.
- Observed distinct cell cycle differences between the IDE and EK populations.
Conclusions:
- The differential cell cycle kinetics between the IDE and EK are linked to the diversity observed in cusp patterning during tooth development.
- These findings offer new insights into the mechanisms governing tooth morphogenesis and pattern formation.
Related Concept Videos
02:19Morphogenesis
30.5K
Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.
30.5K
00:56What is the Cell Cycle?
10.6K
The cell cycle refers to the sequence of events occurring throughout a typical cell’s life. In eukaryotic cells, the somatic cell cycle has two stages: the interphase and the mitotic phase. During interphase, the cell grows, performs its basic metabolic functions, copies its DNA, and prepares for mitotic cell division. Then, during mitosis and cytokinesis, the cell divides its nuclear and cytoplasmic materials, respectively. This generates two daughter cells that are identical to the...
10.6K
01:04What is the Cell Cycle?
243.7K
The cell cycle refers to the sequence of events occurring throughout a typical cell’s life. In eukaryotic cells, the somatic cell cycle has two stages: interphase and the mitotic phase. During interphase, the cell grows, performs its basic metabolic functions, copies its DNA, and prepares for mitotic cell division. Then, during mitosis and cytokinesis, the cell divides its nuclear and cytoplasmic materials, respectively. This generates two daughter cells that are identical to the original...
243.7K
01:21Tooth Anatomy
2.3K
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...
2.3K
01:28The Cell Cycle Control System
5.7K
The cell cycle regulation directs how a cell proceeds from one phase to the next and begins mitosis. The cell cycle control system includes intracellular regulatory molecules and external triggers. They provide "stop" or "advance" signals and operate at specific cell cycle stages termed checkpoints to ensure that a particular process is completed before the cell advances to the next phase.
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and...
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and...
5.7K
02:11The Cell Cycle Control System
14.5K
The cell cycle is an organized set of events that leads the cell to divide into two daughter cells, each containing chromosomes identical to the parent cell. It is the cell cycle that leads to the formation of an entire organism from a single-cell zygote. Besides, cell division also functions in the renewal or repair of tissues in adult multicellular eukaryotes. For example, in the bone marrow, the stem cells divide to form new blood cells. Although essential for several functions, cell...
14.5K