Lhx6 regulates canonical Wnt signaling to control the fate of mesenchymal progenitor cells during mouse molar root patterning.

PLoS Genet

Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.

Published: February 2021

AI Article Synopsis

  • This study explores how Lhx6, a specific marker, influences root development in mammalian teeth, revealing its role in regulating root progenitor cells.
  • The research indicates that when Lhx6 is absent, it causes defects in tooth root structure, particularly affecting furcation and root quantity.
  • Additionally, Lhx6 is linked to the control of Wnt signaling pathways, suggesting that manipulating this signaling might help in future tooth regeneration efforts.

Article Abstract

Mammalian tooth crown formation has long served as a model for investigating how patterning and morphogenesis are orchestrated during development. However, the mechanism underlying root patterning and morphogenesis remains poorly understood. In this study, we find that Lhx6 labels a subpopulation of root progenitor cells in the apical dental mesenchyme, which is closely associated with furcation development. Loss of Lhx6 leads to furcation and root number defects, indicating that Lhx6 is a key root patterning regulator. Among the multiple cellular events regulated by Lhx6 is the odontoblast fate commitment of progenitor cells, which it controls in a cell-autonomous manner. Specifically, Lhx6 loss leads to elevated expression of the Wnt antagonist Sfrp2 and down-regulation of Wnt signaling in the furcation region, while overactivation of Wnt signaling in Lhx6+ progenitor cells partially restore the furcation defects in Lhx6-/- mice. Collectively, our findings have important implications for understanding organ morphogenesis and future strategies for tooth root regeneration.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7920342PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009320DOI Listing

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