Apoptosis during Rat Tooth Development.
- Author:
Min Ju KIM
1
;
Yu Seong KIM
;
Yeon Hee MOON
;
Na Ri JUNG
;
Jung Sun MOON
;
Sun Hun KIM
;
Min Seok KIM
Author Information
1. Dental Science Research Institute, 2nd Stage Brain Korea, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Korea. greatone@chonnam.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
tooth development;
apoptosis;
TUNEL
- MeSH:
Ameloblasts;
Animals;
Apoptosis;
Biological Processes;
Cell Death;
Crowns;
Dental Papilla;
Ectoderm;
Epithelium;
Hypogonadism;
In Situ Nick-End Labeling;
Mandible;
Mitochondrial Diseases;
Molar;
Neural Crest;
Odontoblasts;
Ophthalmoplegia;
Rats;
Reticulum;
Tooth;
Tooth Germ
- From:International Journal of Oral Biology
2011;36(1):31-35
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Teeth develop via a reciprocal induction between the ectomesenchyme originating from the neural crest and the ectodermal epithelium. During complete formation of the tooth morphology and structure, many cells proliferate, differentiate, and can be replaced with other structures. Apoptosis is a type of genetically-controlled cell death and a biological process arising at the cellular level during development. To determine if apoptosis is an effective mechanism for eliminating cells during tooth development, this process was examined in the rat mandible including the developing molar teeth using the transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick labeling (TUNEL) method. The tooth germ of the mandibular first molar in the postnatal rat showed a variety of morphological appearances from the bell stage to the crown stage. Strong TUNEL-positive reactivity was observed in the ameloblasts and cells of the stellate reticulum. Odontoblasts near the prospective cusp area also showed a TUNEL positive reaction and several cells in the dental papilla, which are the forming pulp, were also stained intensively in this assay. Our results thus show that apoptosis may take place not only in epithelial-derived dental organs but also in the mesenchyme-derived dental papilla. Hence, apoptosis may be an essential biological process in tooth development.
