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Author Spotlight: Comparing Alveolar and Long Bone Remodeling to Explore OTM Model Potential
Published on: July 21, 2023
Nanog, Stat-3, and Sox-5 involvement in human fetal temporomandibular joint late development
Tacia Catharine Pagni1, Juliana Malta da Cunha1, Daniel Martinez Saez1
1Departament of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu 740, Ed. Leitão da Cunha - Térreo, CEP: 04023-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Background And Aim:
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a synovial joint that allows the complex movements essential for life. It connects the jawbone to the skull, working as a sliding hinge. Moreover, pluripotent stem cells are a source of precursors and tissue-specific cells in developing organisms, however, their biodistribution in developing fetal tissues is weakly studied. The aim of our study was analyse immunohistochemical expression of Nanog, Oct-4, Sox-2 and Stat-3 and Sox-5, in TMJ tissue samples from human fetuses aged between the 12th and 20th weeks of intrauterine life.
Materials And Methods:
We fixed and processed TMJ tissue samples from human fetuses, histological sections and immunohistochemical procedures were carried out.
Results:
TMJ histological studies examination did not reveal any difference in the tissue organization between the samples in the studied periods. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that Oct-4 and Sox-2 lack their expression in TMJ. In contrast, Nanog was expressed in nucleous of proliferative layer of mandibular condyle, Stat-3 was expressed in nuclear cells of articular disc, Stat-3 and Sox-5 showed positive nuclear and cytoplasmic immunostaining in codrocyte layers and in ossification areas.
Conclusions:
Nanog acts in maintanence of pluripotency, Stat-3 in articular disc acts as a transcriptional factor. Stat-3 and Sox-2 act in chondrocyte and osteoblast diferentiation. Distribution of the cells, which express Nanog, Stat-3, and Sox-5 in TMJ tissue during fetal development, can help further understand its physiology, pathology, and repairing capacities.
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