A Wnt/Notch/Pax7 signaling network supports tissue integrity in tongue development.

ABSTRACT: The tongue is one of the major structures involved in human food intake and speech. Tongue malformations such as aglossia, microglossia, and ankyloglossia are congenital birth defects, greatly affecting individuals' quality of life. However, the molecular basis of the tissue-tissue interactions that ensure tissue morphogenesis to form a functional tongue remains largely unknown. Here we show that Shh^Cre -mediated epithelial deletion of Wntless (Wls), the key regulator for intracellular Wnt trafficking, leads to lingual hypoplasia in mice. Disruption of epithelial Wnt production by Wls deletion in epithelial cells led to a failure in lingual epidermal stratification and loss of the lamina propria and the underlying superior longitudinal muscle in devel

SUBMITTER: Zhu XJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5454119 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature