PrPc is temporospatially expressed in molar development of rats

This study was conducted to detect molecules implicated in cyto‐differentiation of developing molar germs of rats. Differential display‐PCR revealed that PrPc was differentially expressed between cap/early bell‐staged germs (maxillary 3rd molar germs) and root formation‐staged germs (maxillary 2nd molar germs) at postnatal day 9. Both levels of PrPc mRNA and protein expression were higher in the root formation stage than the cap/early bell stage and increased in a time‐dependent manner. Immunofluorescence revealed for the first time that PrPc was not localized in the enamel organ, but localized in dental follicular cells for the development of the periodontal ligament and cementum as well as odontoblasts, both of which are of neural crest origin. These results suggest that the physiological functions of the PrPc in tooth development may be implicated in the differentiation of neural crest‐derived mesenchyme including the periodontal tissues for root formation rather than epithelial tissue. Anat Rec, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Source: The Anatomical Record Part B: The New Anatomist - October 1, 2013 Category: Anatomy Authors: H.I. Yoo, S.M. Jang, J.H. Kang, M.S. Kim, J.T. Koh, J.Y. Jung, W.J. Kim, W.M. OH, S.H. Kim Tags: Full Length Article Source Type: research