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Revitalising the rudimentary replacement dentition in the mouse
Elena M Popa1, Marcela Buchtova2,3, Abigail S Tucker4,5
1Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|January 20, 2019
Summary
Mice normally grow only one set of teeth. Activating specific signaling pathways in the rudimentary successional dental lamina (RSDL) in mice can induce the formation of new teeth, offering insights into tooth evolution.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Dental Research
Background:
- Most mammals are diphyodont, possessing two sets of teeth (deciduous and permanent).
- Mice are monophyodont, developing only one set of teeth.
- Tooth replacement involves the successional dental lamina, which expresses Sox2 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in diphyodonts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the rudimentary successional dental lamina (RSDL) of mice.
- To explore the mechanisms underlying tooth development and the evolution of tooth replacement.
Main Methods:
- Stabilizing Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the mouse RSDL.
- Analyzing Sox2 expression and cell proliferation.
- Investigating the inhibitory effect of the first tooth on replacement tooth formation.
Main Results:
- Stabilizing Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the mouse RSDL induced its proliferation and the formation of new teeth.
- Overexpression of Wnts led to downregulation of Sox2, suggesting a negative-feedback loop.
- Isolation of the RSDL was sufficient to induce a new tooth germ, and the first tooth inhibits RSDL development.
Conclusions:
- Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a key driver for tooth formation in the mouse RSDL.
- The findings provide insights into the evolutionary mechanisms that may have led to the development of replacement teeth in mammals.
- A negative-feedback loop involving Sox2 and Wnt signaling regulates tooth development.
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