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Related Concept Videos

Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
Teeth01:15

Teeth

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 and...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway02:33

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway02:33

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
Determination01:51

Determination

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 contrast, determination...

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Correction: Kuc et al. Tension-Dominant Orthodontic Loading and Buccal Periodontal Phenotype Preservation: An Integrative Mechanobiological Model Supported by FEM and a Proof-of-Concept CBCT. <i>J. Funct. Biomater.</i> 2026, <i>17</i>, 47.

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Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos
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A Signaling-Threshold Framework for Human Tooth Agenesis: Integrating Molecular Genetics with Developmental Field

Anna Ewa Kuc1, Paulina Kuc2, Natalia Kuc2

  • 1Department of Dentofacial Orthopedics and Orthodontics, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-425 Wroclaw, Poland.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|May 27, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Tooth agenesis, a common dental anomaly, is explained by a new signaling-threshold model. This framework integrates molecular pathways and gene interactions to clarify variations in tooth development.

Keywords:
Wnt signaling pathwaybone morphogenetic proteinsgene expression regulationhypodontiaodontogenesisoligodontia

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The Slice Culture Method for Following Development of Tooth Germs In Explant Culture
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Published on: November 13, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Genetics
  • Human Dentition

Background:

  • Tooth agenesis, including hypodontia and oligodontia, presents significant phenotypic variability that is not fully understood.
  • Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are crucial during early tooth development (odontogenesis).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize developmental and molecular evidence regarding epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in early odontogenesis.
  • To propose a signaling-threshold framework to explain the phenotypic variability of human tooth agenesis.
  • To integrate molecular genetics with developmental field theory for a systems-level explanation of selective tooth absence.

Main Methods:

  • Review of developmental and molecular evidence on key signaling pathways: Wnt/β-catenin, BMP, FGF, and SHH.
  • Analysis of recurrent disease-associated genes (MSX1, PAX9, WNT10A, AXIN2) as quantitative modulators of pathway activity.
  • Integration of signaling pathway dynamics with developmental field theory.

Main Results:

  • A proposed signaling-threshold framework where tooth initiation depends on integrated signaling output exceeding a field-specific threshold.
  • Identified key signaling pathways and genes as quantitative modulators, not binary determinants, of tooth identity.
  • Hypothesized that variations in signaling amplitude, duration, and transcriptional responsiveness explain clinical spectrum from hypodontia to oligodontia, including distal tooth susceptibility and arch asymmetry.

Conclusions:

  • The signaling-threshold model provides a testable, systems-level explanation for selective tooth absence.
  • This framework accounts for the marked phenotypic variability observed in tooth agenesis.
  • Highlights future research directions in functional studies and genotype-phenotype correlations for tooth agenesis.