Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in palate development in order to discover candidate therapeutics for preventing and treating congenital birth defects. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling of embryonic palatal tissue from wild type mice as well as those with a neural crest specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of cleft palate formation. To investigate the mechanism of cleft palate resulting from mutations in TGFBR2, we analyzed neural crest specific conditional inactivation of Tgfbr2 in mice (Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre). We performed microarray analyses using the palatal tissue of Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre mice at embryonic day E13.5 (prior to palatal fusion, n=6 per genotype) and E14.5 (during palatal fusion, n=5 per genotype) to examine the genes regulated by Tgf-beta during palate formation.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in epithelial cells as it pertains to the orientation of muscle fibers in the soft palate during embryogenesis. Here, we first conducted gene expression profiling of the anterior and posterior portions of the palate from wild-type mice. In addition, we also conducted gene expression profiling of the posterior palate in mutant mice with an epithelium-specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of submucosal cleft palate, which is a congenital birth defect commonly observed in many syndromic conditions.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in epithelial cells as it pertains to the orientation of muscle fibers in the soft palate during embryogenesis. Here, we first conducted gene expression profiling of the anterior and posterior portions of the palate from wild-type mice. In addition, we also conducted gene expression profiling of the posterior palate in mutant mice with an epithelium-specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of submucosal cleft palate, which is a congenital birth defect commonly observed in many syndromic conditions. To investigate the adverse effects of dysfunctional TGF-Beta signaling on tissue-tissue interaction between the palatal epithelium and myofibers during palatogenesis, we analyzed mice with an epithelial cell-specific conditional inactivation of Tgfbr2 (Tgfbr2fl/fl;K14-Cre). We performed microarray analyses of anterior palatal tissue and posterior palatal tissue of E15.5 Tgfbr2fl/fl control mice (n=5, each region), and posterior palatal tissue of Tgfbr2fl/fl;K14-Cre mutant mice, collected at embryonic day 15.5 (n=5). Control samples and mutant samples are from separate litters.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in regulating the cellular metabolism of cranial neural crest (CNC) cells during palate development. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling of primary mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal (MEPM) cells from wild type mice as well as those with a neural crest specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of cleft palate, which is among the most common congenital birth defects and observed in many syndromic conditions. To investigate the adverse effects of dysfunctional TGF-Beta signaling on the cellular metabolism of palatal mesenchyme during palatogenesis, we analyzed mice with a neural crest cell-specific conditional inactivation of Tgfbr2 (Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre). We performed microarray analyses of primary mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells of Tgfbr2fl/fl;Wnt1-Cre mutant mice and Tgfbr2fl/fl control mice, collected at embryonic day 13.5 (n=4 per genotype) and cultured with standard media (DMEM with supplements). Cells were collected after 2 passages.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in regulating the cellular metabolism of cranial neural crest (CNC) cells during palate development. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling of primary mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal (MEPM) cells from wild type mice as well as those with a neural crest specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of cleft palate, which is among the most common congenital birth defects and observed in many syndromic conditions.
Project description:The overall goal of this project is to investigate the role of TGF-beta signaling in palate development in order to discover candidate therapeutics for preventing and treating congenital birth defects. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling of embryonic palatal tissue from wild type mice as well as those with a neural crest specific conditional inactivation of the Tgfbr2 gene. The latter mice provide a model of cleft palate formation.
Project description:The involvement of skeletal muscle in the process of palatal development in mammals is an example of Waddingtonian epigenetics. Our earlier study showed that the cleft palate develops in the complete absence of skeletal musculature during embryonic development in mice. This contrasts with previous beliefs that tongue obstruction prevents the elevation and fusion of the palatal shelves. We argue that the complete absence of mechanical stimuli from the adjacent muscle, i.e., the lack of both static and dynamic loading, results in disordered palatogenesis. We further suggest that proper fusion of the palatal shelves depends not only on mechanical but also on paracrine contributions from the muscle. The muscle's paracrine role in the process of palatal fusion is achieved through its being a source of certain secreted and/or circulatory proteins. A cDNA microarray analysis revealed differentially expressed genes in the cleft palate of amyogenic mouse fetuses and suggested candidate molecules with a novel function in palatogenesis (e.g., Tgfbr2, Bmp7, Trim71, E2f5, Ddx5, Gfap, Sema3f). In particular, we report on Gdf11 mutant mouse that has cleft palate, and on several genes whose distribution is normally restricted to the muscle (completely absent in our amyogenic mouse model), but which are found down-regulated in amyogenic mouse cleft palate. These molecules probably present a subset of paracrine cues that influence palatogenesis from the adjacent muscle. Future studies will elucidate the role of these genes in muscle-palate crosstalk, connecting the cues produced by the muscle with the cartilage and bone tissue's responses to these cues, through various degrees of cell proliferation, death, differentiation and tissue fusion.