HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

 

Review

Epiprofin/Sp6: A new player in the regulation of tooth development

Lucia Jimenez-Rojo2, Gaskon Ibarretxe1, Maitane Aurrekoetxea1, Susana de Vega3, Takashi Nakamura3, Yoshihiko Yamada3 and Fernando Unda1

1Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country, Vizcaya, Spain, 2Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), ISREC-Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, NCCR Molecular Oncology, Lausanne, Switzerland and 3Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Offprint requests to: Dr. Fernando Unda, Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country, Vizcaya, Spain. e-mail: fernando.unda@ehu.es


Summary. Odontogenesis is governed by a complex network of intercellular signaling events between the dental epithelium and mesenchyme. This network leads to the progressive determination of tooth shape, and to the differentiation of these tissues into enamel-producing ameloblasts and dentin-producing odontoblasts respectively. Among the main signaling pathways involved in the regulation of tooth development, Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Wingless-type MMTV integration site (Wnt) pathways have been reported to play significant roles. Recently, the phenotype of mice deficient in Epiprofin/Sp6 (Epfn) has been found to present striking dental abnormalities, including a complete lack of differentiated ameloblasts and consequently no enamel, highly altered molar cusp patterns and the formation of multiple supernumerary teeth. In this article, we review the interaction of Epfn with the BMP, Shh and Wnt pathways in the regulation of tooth development, based on the data obtained from the study of several genetically modified mice
. Histol Histopathol 25, 1621-1630 (2010)

Key words: Odontogenesis, Supernumerary teeth, Ameloblast, Epiprofin/Sp6, Shh, Wnt, BMP

DOI: 10.14670/HH-25.1621