Tooth root morphogenesis involves two biological processes, root elongation and dentinogenesis, which are guaranteed by downgrowth of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) and normal odontoblast differentiation. Ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation has been reported to precisely regulate various physiological processes, while its role in tooth development is still elusive. Here we show ubiquitin-specific protease 34 (USP34) plays a pivotal role in root formation. Deletion of Usp34 in dental mesenchymal cells leads to short root anomaly, characterized by truncated roots and thin root dentin. The USP34-deficient dental pulp cells (DPCs) exhibit decreased odontogenic differentiation with downregulation of nuclear factor I/C (NFIC). Overexpression of NFIC partially restores the impaired odontogenic potential of DPCs. These findings indicate that USP34-dependent deubiquitination is critical for root morphogenesis by stabilizing NFIC.
Cell Differentiation ; Female ; Morphogenesis ; NFI Transcription Factors ; Odontogenesis ; Tooth Root

Introduction: Dengue virus (DENV), the causative agent of dengue disease exists in sylvatic and endemic ecotypes. The cell morphological changes and viral morphogenesis of two dengue ecotypes were examined at the ultrastructural level to identify potential similarities and differences in the surrogate model of enzootic host. Materials and Methods: Vero cells were inoculated with virus at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1. Cell cultures were harvested over a time course and processed for transmission electron microscopic imaging. Results: The filopodia protrusions on cell periphery preceded virus entry. Additionally, sylvatic DENV infection was found spreading slower than the endemic DENV. Morphogenesis of both dengue ecotypes was alike but at different level of efficiency in the permissive cells. Conclusions: This is the first ultrastructural study on sylvatic DENV and this comparative study revealed the similarities and differences of cellular responses and morphogenesis of two dengue ecotypes in vitro. The study revealed the weaker infectivity of sylvatic DENV in the surrogate model of enzootic host, which supposed to support better replication of enzootic DENV than endemic DENV.
; viral morphogenesis

This study investigated the development characteristics of Dermacentor everestianus under laboratory conditions. The time taken for D. everestianus to complete the whole life cycle was 110.2 days on average, and the average developmental durations of larvae and nymphs were 17.1 days and 29.5 days, respectively. The summation of the prefeeding, feeding, and preoviposition periods of females was 17.8 days, and the oviposition and egg incubation lasted for 18.1 days and 27.7 days, respectively. A highly positive correlation was observed between the weight of engorged female and the number of egg mass laid (r=0.947). The reproductive efficiency index and the reproductive fitness index were 7.1 and 6.1, respectively.
Dermacentor* ; Female ; Genetic Fitness ; Humans ; Larva ; Life Cycle Stages* ; Nymph ; Oviposition ; Ovum

PURPOSE: Wnt signaling plays an essential role in the dental epithelium and mesenchyme during tooth morphogenesis. Deletion of the Wntless (Wls) gene in odontoblasts appears to reduce canonical Wnt activity, leading to inhibition of odontoblast maturation. However, it remains unclear if autonomous Wnt ligands are necessary for differentiation of dental pulp cells into odontoblast-like cells to induce reparative dentinogenesis, one of well-known feature of pulp repair to form tertiary dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To analyze the autonomous role of Wls for differentiation of dental pulp cells into odontoblast-like cells, we used primary dental pulp cells from unerupted molars of Wls-floxed allele mouse after infection with adenovirus for Cre recombinase expression to knockout the floxed Wls gene or control GFP expression. The differentiation of dental pulp cells into odontoblast-like cells was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULT: Proliferation rate was significantly decreased in dental pulp cells with Cre expression for Wls knockout. The expression levels of Osterix (Osx), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and nuclear factor I-C (Nfic) were all significantly decreased by 0.3-fold, 0.2-fold, and 0.3-fold respectively in dental pulp cells with Wls knockout. In addition, the expression levels of Bsp, Col1a1, Opn, and Alpl were significantly decreased by 0.7-fold, 0.3-fold, 0.8-fold, and 0.6-fold respectively in dental pulp cells with Wls knockout. CONCLUSION: Wnt ligands produced autonomously are necessary for proper proliferation and odontoblastic differentiation of mouse dental pulp cells toward further tertiary dentinogenesis.
Adenoviridae ; Alleles ; Animals ; Dental Pulp* ; Dentin ; Dentinogenesis ; Epithelium ; Ligands ; Mesoderm ; Mice* ; Molar ; Morphogenesis ; NFI Transcription Factors ; Odontoblasts* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinases ; Tooth ; Transcription Factors

Dental epithelial and mesenchymal cells that form the teeth undergo dynamic changes in cell cycle during tooth development and morphogenesis. Although proliferation has been known as a key event during odontogenesis, the cell cycle phases and their relations with the complicated molecular mechanisms of tooth development are not fully understood yet. This study comparatively examined the expression patterns of Ki-67, cyclin A, and cyclin D1 during tooth development in the mouse incisor and molar in order to identify the cell-cycle characteristics during odontogenesis. We found that Ki-67 and cyclin A were expressed in the proliferating cells in the dental epithelial and mesenchymal tissues at the bud, cap and bell stages. Cycln D1 showed distinct expression in the incisor odontoblast region and the enamel knot, in which Ki-67 nor cyclin A was expressed. Our results provide specific information on the cell cycle phases during tooth development that may provide clues to relate them with the complex odontogenic mechanisms. Furthermore, we suggest that our findings enlightened the previous studies on the incisor odontoblasts and the enamel knot during tooth development.
Animals ; Cell Cycle ; Cyclin A ; Cyclin D1 ; Cyclins ; Dental Enamel ; Incisor ; Mice ; Molar ; Morphogenesis ; Odontoblasts ; Odontogenesis ; Polymethacrylic Acids ; Tooth

INTRODUCTION: Dental implants are used routinely with high success rates in generally healthy individuals. By contrast, their use in patients with diabetes mellitus is controversial because altered bone healing around implants has been reported. This study examined the bone healing response around titanium implants placed immediately in rats with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty rats were divided into the control, insulin-treated and diabetic groups. The rats received streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) to induce diabetes; animals in the insulin-treated group also received three units of subcutaneous slow-release insulin. A titanium implant (1.2x3 mm) was placed in the extraction socket of the maxillary first molar and bone block was harvested at 1, 2 and 4 weeks. RESULTS: Bone formation around the implants was consistently (from 1 to 4 week post-implantation) slower for the diabetic group than the control and insulin-treated group. Bone morphogenesis in the diabetic rats was characterized by fragmented bone tissues and extensive soft tissue intervention. CONCLUSION: The immediate placement of titanium implants in the maxilla of diabetic rats led to an unwanted bone healing response. These results suggest that immediate implant insertion in patients with poorly controlled diabetes might be contraindicated.
Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Remodeling ; Dental Implants ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Insulin ; Maxilla ; Molar ; Morphogenesis ; Osseointegration ; Osteogenesis ; Rats ; Streptozocin ; Titanium

microRNAs (miRNAs) are an extensive class of -22-nucleotide (nt) endogenous noncoding RNAs regulating life activities ofmetazoans through binding to 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) of their target genes. This work aimed to identify yan gene in the silkworm, reveal its expression profile and confirm if it is one target of bmo-miR-7 and, as such, have potential for contributing to better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the metamorphosis of silkworm. Based on homolog searching and PCR amplification, we cloned the coding sequence (CDS) of Bmyan, which encodes 476 amino acid residues and contains SAM-PNT and ETs domains. Quantitative PCR (q-PCR), RT-PCR and microarray data revealed high expression of Bmyan in the head, body wall and ovary of day-3 fifth instar larval silkworm, low or no expression in other tissues. It was lowly expressed in the early larval stages, but highly expressed from late spinning to day 4 pupa. The 3'-UTR of Bmyan was obtained by rapid-amplification of cDNA ends (3'RACE) and predicted to contain two potential recognition sites of bmo-miR-7. The luciferase reporter vector containing the 3'-UTR of Bmyan was constructed and co-transfected into BmE cell line with the mimic of bmo-miR-7 and the decreased relative activity of luciferase showed that Bmyan is one target of bmo-miR-7. This work helps further functional analysis of bmo-miR-7 and Bmyan in the silkworm.
3' Untranslated Regions ; Animals ; Bombyx ; genetics ; Cell Line ; Cloning, Molecular ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; Insect Proteins ; genetics ; Larva ; Metamorphosis, Biological ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Pupa

This article reviews Leptotrombidium deliense, including its discovery and nomenclature, morphological features and identification, life cycle, ecology, relationship with diseases, chromosomes and artificial cultivation. The first record of L. deliense was early in 1922 by Walch. Under the genus Leptotrombidium, there are many sibling species similar to L. deliense, which makes it difficult to differentiate L. deliense from another sibling chigger mites, for example, L. rubellum. The life cycle of the mite (L. deliense) includes 7 stages: egg, deutovum (or prelarva), larva, nymphochrysalis, nymph, imagochrysalis and adult. The mite has a wide geographical distribution with low host specificity, and it often appears in different regions and habitats and on many species of hosts. As a vector species of chigger mite, L. deliense is of great importance in transmitting scrub typhus (tsutsugamushi disease) in many parts of the world, especially in tropical regions of Southeast Asia. The seasonal fluctuation of the mite population varies in different geographical regions. The mite has been successfully cultured in the laboratory, facilitating research on its chromosomes, biochemistry and molecular biology.
Adult ; Asia, Southeastern ; Biochemistry ; Ecology ; Ecosystem ; Host Specificity ; Humans ; Larva ; Life Cycle Stages ; Mites ; Molecular Biology ; Nymph ; Ovum ; Scrub Typhus ; Seasons ; Siblings ; Trombiculidae

PURPOSE: Holoprosencephaly(HPE) is a rare developmental defect due to incomplete cleavages of the prosencephalon during the third week of fetal development. Chromosomal anomalies, genetic syndrome, teratogen, or genetic disorder of non-syndromic HPE are usually accepted as etiology. The consequences of prechordal mesoderm defect are varying degrees of deficit of midline facial development, especially the median nasal process(premaxilla), and incomplete morphogenesis of the forebrain. We experienced a case of lobar HPE with complete cleft lip and palate. METHODS: A female newborn infant was born at 38+6 weeks' gestational age via NSVD. The infant's birth weight was 3.6kg, height 52cm, and head circumference 32.5cm, showing microcephaly, flat nose, median complete cleft lip & palate, and hypotelorism, along with defects of midfacial development including losses of premaxilla, philtrum, nasal septum, and columella. RESULTS: There were no specific findings noted from the head and neck X-ray and tests for endocrine and metabolic disorders, but clinical characteristics of midface and dysgenesis corpus callosum on brain MRI were seen, so that this case was diagnosed with HPE. CONCLUSION: HPE is divided into three categories of alobar, semilobar, and lobar prosencephaly according to the degree of cerebral hemisphere separation. Assesment of patient's brain abnormality and malformation is essential in determining the extent and benefit of surgical intervention. This case was included in the lobar type HPE which shows relatively good prognosis compared with other types and reconstruction of median complete cleft lip & palate and midfacial defects will be performed.
Birth Weight ; Brain ; Cerebrum ; Cleft Lip ; Corpus Callosum ; Equidae ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Gestational Age ; Head ; Holoprosencephaly* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lip ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mesoderm ; Microcephaly ; Morphogenesis ; Nasal Septum ; Neck ; Nose ; Palate ; Prognosis ; Prosencephalon

Understanding the development of a skull deformity requires an understanding of the normal morphogenesis of the cranium. Craniosynostosis is the premature, pathologic ossification of one or more cranial sutures leading to skull deformities. A review of the English medical literature using textbooks and standard search engines was performed to gather information about the prenatal development and growth of the cranial vault of the neurocranium. A process of morphogenic sequencing begins during prenatal development and growth, continues postnatally, and contributes to the basis for the differential manner of growth of cranial vault bones. This improved knowledge might facilitate comprehension of the pathophysiology of craniosynostosis.
Comprehension ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Cranial Sutures ; Craniosynostoses ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Growth and Development* ; Morphogenesis ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Pregnancy ; Search Engine ; Skull