Sequential Expression of Notch1, HES5, Jagged2, and Math1 in Molar Tooth Germ of Mouse

「Introduction」Odontogenesis or tooth development is regulated by reciprocal and sequential epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and conserved signaling pathways common to many developmental processes. Previous studies have suggested that the Notch signaling pathway is involved in odontogenesis. The Notch signaling pathway plays an important role in cell fate decisions through the process of lateral inhibition or inductive signaling. Second class basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcriptional repressors, Hairy and Enhancer of Split (HES) 1, 5, 7 seem to act as Notch effectors by negative regulation of the downstream target genes. The proneural bHLH protein Math1 has been demonstrated to act as positive regulator of differentiation in developmental events. In addition, links between Notch and Math1 pathways were identified in various tissues. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of Notch1, HES5, Jagged2 and Math1 during embryonic and postnatal stages of molar odontogenesis in wild type mice.