Expression of Cbfa1, BMPs and OPN in developing tooth tissues

Objectives:To study the expression and interaction of core binding factor a1(Cbfa1), bone morphorage proteins(BMPs) and osteopontin(OPN) in the developing tooth tissues of postnatal mice. Methods:A mice developing tooth tissues study model was created histologically by 5-27 day postnatal BALB/c mice, then the immunohistochemical localization of Cbfa1, BMPs and OPN in different developing stages were undertaken. Results:In early stage of postnatal mice tooth development, only BMPs expressed in dental follicle and dental papilla cells, though the signal was weak, but BMPs and Cbfa1 also immunopositive in predentin. When root was forming, all of them were expressed in periodontal ligament cells and cementoblasts, but Cbfa1 also in pulp cells and odontoblasts and BMPs in pulp cells, while only OPN in cementum and the surface of alveolar bone. However, none of them was positive in dentin. Conclusions:Cbfa1, BMPs and OPN all involve in the development of periodontal tissues; Cbfa1 and BMPs may also play an important role in the formation of dentin, while OPN is crucial for cenmentum and perhaps negative for dentin.