Osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB (RANK), and RANK ligand (RANKL) are mediators of various cellular interactions, including bone metabolism. We analyzed expression of these three genes during murine odontogenesis from epithelial thickening to cytodifferentiation stages. Opg showed expression in the thickening and bud epithelium. Expression of Opg and Rank was observed in both the internal and the external enamel epithelium as well as in the dental papilla mesenchyme. Although Rankl expression was not detected in tooth epithelium or mesenchyme, it was expressed in pre-osteogenic mesenchymal cells close to developing tooth germs. All three genes were detected in developing dentary bone at P0. The addition of exogenous OPG to explant cultures of tooth primordia produced a delay in tooth development that resulted in reduced mineralization. We propose that the spatiotemporal expression of these molecules in early tooth and bone primordia cells has a role in co-ordinating bone and tooth development.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Biological Sciences
Research Group:	Biochemistry and cell biology
Research Field:	Cell development, proliferation and death
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Courtney, J (Dr Jo-Maree Courtney)
ID Code:	87618
Year Published:	2004
Web of Science® Times Cited:	60
Deposited By:	Medicine
Deposited On:	2013-11-27
Last Modified:	2013-11-27
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