First Branchial Arch (first + branchial_arch)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Chick limbs with mouse teeth: An effective in vivo culture system for tooth germ development and analysis

DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 1 2003
Eiki Koyama
Abstract Mouse tooth germ development is currently studied by three main approaches: in wild-type and mutant mouse lines, after transplantation of tooth germs to ectopic sites, and in organ culture. The in vivo approaches are the most physiological but do not provide accessibility to tooth germs for further experimental manipulation. Organ cultures, although readily accessible, do not sustain full tooth germ development and are appropriate for short-term analysis. Thus, we sought to establish a new approach that would combine experimental accessibility with sustained development. We implanted fragments of embryonic day 12 mouse embryo first branchial arch containing early bud stage tooth germs into the lateral mesenchyme of day 4,5 chick embryo wing buds in ovo. Eggs were reincubated, and implanted tissues were examined by histochemistry and in situ hybridization over time. The tooth germs underwent seemingly normal growth, differentiation, and morphogenesis. They reached the cap, bell, and crown stages in approximately 3, 6, and 10 days, respectively, mimicking in a striking manner native temporal patterns. To examine mechanisms regulating tooth germ development, we first implanted tooth germ fragments, microinjected them with neutralizing antibodies to the key signaling molecule Sonic hedgehog (Shh), and examined them over time. Tooth germ development was markedly delayed, as revealed by poor morphogenesis and lack of mature ameloblasts and odontoblasts displaying characteristic traits such as an elongated cell shape, nuclear relocalization, and amelogenin gene expression. These phenotypic changes began to be reversed upon further incubation. The data show that the limb bud represents an effective, experimentally accessible as well as economical system for growth and analysis of developing tooth germs. The inhibitory effects of Shh neutralizing antibody treatment are discussed in relation to roles of this signaling pathway proposed by this and other groups previously. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Identification of evolutionarily conserved regulatory elements in the mouse Fgf8 locus

GENESIS: THE JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2006
Friedrich Beermann
Abstract The secreted signaling molecule fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) is an essential component of certain embryonic signaling centers including the mid-hindbrain (isthmic) organizer, the first branchial arch (BA1), and the apical ectodermal ridge (AER). In these signaling centers Fgf8 transcripts are expressed in a dynamic and transient fashion, but the mechanism by which this highly specific expression pattern is established remains largely unknown. We used DNA sequence comparisons coupled to transgenic approaches to obtain insight into the structure and function of regulatory elements in the Fgf8 locus. First, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the mouse Fgf8 gene partially rescues the embryonic lethality of Fgf8- deficient mice and controls Fgf8 -specific gene expression of a coinjected lacZ reporter transgene. Second, sequence comparison of vertebrate Fgf8 loci revealed evolutionarily highly conserved noncoding sequences that were unexpectedly located mainly 3, of the Fgf8 coding region. Third, in transgenic mice some of these elements were sufficient to target expression to the AER, tail bud, and brain, including the isthmic organizer, indicating that they may represent Fgf8 cis-acting elements. Collectively, these data identify novel regulatory elements of the Fgf8 gene sufficient to drive expression to regions of known Fgf8 activity. genesis 44:1,6, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Agnathia and associated malformations in a male rhesus monkey

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
B. Goldschmidt
Abstract Background, Agnathia is a rare malformation characterized by the absence of the mandible. Methods, A male rhesus monkey with malformations was found dead and studied by internal examination, radiographs and histopathology. Results, A case of a rare first branchial arch anomaly with agenesis of the mandible and tongue is presented. The animal also had visceral deformities. However, ears were normal in shape and only slightly low in position. The craniofacial malformations may reflect incomplete separation of the first branchial arch into its maxillary and mandibular processes. Conclusions, The association between the craniofacial and other corporal anomalies is unclear. [source]


Proliferation and pluripotency potential of ectomesenchymal cells derived from first branchial arch

CELL PROLIFERATION, Issue 2 2006
Yunfeng Lin
Their potential to be expanded in culture as a monolayer and to be induced into different cell lineages in vitro has not been previously reported in detail. In this study, the ectomesenchymal cells in the first branchial arch were enzymatically isolated from the mandibular processes of BALB/c mice and were maintained in an intact state in a medium containing leukaemia inhibitory factor. Here, we first evaluated the proliferative activity of the cells after the third passage, using bromodeoxyuridine labelling and in situ hybridization of telomerase mRNA. Positive staining for expression of HNK-1, S-100 and vimentin confirmed that the population of stem cells originated from the ectomesenchyme, which did not express cytokeratin. Then we investigated the molecular and cellular characteristics of the ectomesenchymal cells during their differentiation towards neurogenic, endothelial, myogenic and odontogenic lineages. Expression of multiple lineage-specific genes and proteins was detected by utilizing a range of molecular and biochemical approaches when the cells were transferred to inductive medium. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis of the induced cells at various intervals indicated obvious phenotypic alteration and presence of specific proteins for the differentiated lineages, for example nestin, factor VIII, ,-SMA and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), respectively. Correlatively, results of reverse transcription,PCR corroborated at mRNA level the expression of the characteristic molecules during differentiation. Therefore, it is suggested that the ectomesenchymal cells derived from the first branchial arch may represent a novel source of multipotential stem cells capable of undergoing expansion and variant differentiation in vitro. [source]