HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Aida, M. Articles by Tachikawa, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Aida, M. Articles by Tachikawa, T.

Expression of Protein Kinases C ßI, ßII, and VEGF during the Differentiation of Enamel Epithelium in Tooth Development

Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Showa University, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan;

^* corresponding author, aida{at}dent.showa-u.ac.jp

Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important molecule involved in various cell function, and mediates induced secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). It is hypothesized that PKC and VEGF may be associated with tooth development. Using the laser microdissection method and real-time reverse-transcription-polymerase chain-reaction (RT-PCR), we investigated the expression of PKC ßI and ßII, VEGF, and amelogenin (used as a marker of differentiation to ameloblasts) in the inner and outer enamel epithelia, stellate reticulum, and dental papilla in each stage of the dental germ. We found that the expression levels of PKC ßI and ßII were increased in the inner enamel epithelium during the early bell stage. In addition, the increased expression levels of PKC ßI and ßII were accompanied by increased VEGF expression. These results indicate that PKC ßI, ßII, and VEGF are closely associated with the differentiation of the inner enamel epithelium to ameloblasts.

KEY WORDS: laser microdissection • protein kinase C • vascular endothelial growth factor • odontogenesis • real-time reverse-transcription • polymerase chain-reaction