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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Analysis of Developing Tooth Germ Innervation Using Microfluidic Co-culture Devices
Published on: August 14, 2015
Expression of new genes in vertebrate tooth development and p63 signaling
Nasim Rostampour1, Cassy M Appelt1, Aunum Abid1
1Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada.
Background:
p63 is an evolutionarily ancient transcription factor essential to vertebrate tooth development. Our recent gene expression screen comparing wild-type and "toothless" p63-/- mouse embryos implicated in tooth development several new genes that we hypothesized act downstream of p63 in dental epithelium, where p63 is also expressed.
Results:
Via in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we probed mouse embryos (embryonic days 10.5-14.5) and spotted gar fish embryos (14 days postfertilization) for these newly linked genes, Cbln1, Cldn23, Fermt1, Krt15, Pltp and Prss8, which were expressed in mouse and gar dental epithelium. Loss of p63 altered expression levels but not domains. Expression was comparable between murine upper and lower tooth organs, implying conserved gene functions in maxillary and mandibular dentitions. Our meta-analysis of gene expression databases supported that these genes act within a p63-driven gene regulatory network important to tooth development in mammals and more evolutionary ancient vertebrates (fish, amphibians).
Conclusions:
Cbln1, Cldn23, Fermt1, Krt15, Pltp, and Prss8 were expressed in mouse and fish dental epithelium at placode, bud, and/or cap stages. We theorize that these genes participate in cell-cell adhesion, cell polarity, and extracellular matrix signaling to support dental epithelium integrity, folding, and epithelial-mesenchymal cross talk during tooth development.
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