Investigation of medial edge epithelial cell behavior during secondary palate fusion by using live imaging technology

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26861781
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Orthodontics/Pediatric dentistry
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: oka ayaka 大阪大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 助教 (20635403)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 口蓋の癒合 / ＧＦＰマウス / ライブイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Failure of secondary palate fusion will lead to cleft palate, the most freaquent congenital craniofacial birth defects in humans. Palate fusion process involves the removal of medial edge epithelial (MEE) cells which lies on the edge of secondary palate process. Three mechanisms have been proposed for MEE cells disappearance which are ①apoptosis, ②epithelial cell migration, ③epithelial-mesenchymal transition. However, there is still a great deal of controversy over these proposed mechanisms.
In this study, we cultured unpaired palatal shelves of the mice that express Green Fluorescent Protein under the promoter of keratin 14 (K14-GFP) at embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) and performed live imaging technique in order to observe the behavior of MEE cells during secondary palate fusion. We found that the GFP signaling in epithelial cells can disappear following dynamic movement of MEE cells.Our findings indicate epithelial cell migration could possibly relate to the removal of MEE cells.

Free Research Field

矯正歯科学