Thomas B L, Sharpe P T
Department of Craniofacial Development, UMDS, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
Eur J Oral Sci. 1998 Jan;106 Suppl 1:48-54. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1998.tb02153.x.
Homeobox genes have been shown to be important for the regulation of pattern formation of many systems during embryogenesis. Overlapping domains of Hox gene expression in the paraxial mesoderm have been suggested to create a combinatorial code of expression (Hox code) specifying the structures of individual segments such as the vertebrae. Hox genes are not expressed in the neural crest cells contributing to tooth formation, and so a Hox code can not be involved in patterning the dentition. It has previously been proposed that other, non-Hox homeobox genes may pattern the dentition. Expression data in this paper shows that there is a pattern of overlapping domains of homeobox gene expression in facial mesenchyme prior to the initiation of tooth development. We propose that expression of these genes constitutes an odontogenic homeobox code which patterns the dentition.
同源框基因已被证明在胚胎发育过程中对许多系统的模式形成调节至关重要。有人提出，近轴中胚层中Hox基因表达的重叠区域会产生一种组合表达密码（Hox密码），用以指定各个节段（如椎骨）的结构。Hox基因在参与牙齿形成的神经嵴细胞中不表达，因此Hox密码不参与牙列的模式形成。此前有人提出，其他非Hox同源框基因可能决定牙列的模式。本文的表达数据表明，在牙齿发育开始之前，面部间充质中存在同源框基因表达的重叠区域模式。我们提出，这些基因的表达构成了一种牙源性同源框密码，它决定了牙列的模式。
