C. Luning et al., EXPRESSION OF E-CADHERIN DURING CRANIOFACIAL DEVELOPMENT, Journal of craniofacial genetics and developmental biology, 14(4), 1994, pp. 207-216
The cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin is assumed to play an important
role in organogenesis and histogenesis. We have analyzed the presence
of E-cadherin during normal and disturbed craniofacial development wit
h respect to palate and tooth formation by immunohistochemistry using
a rat monoclonal antibody (DECMA-1) and by in situ hybridization using
an oligonucleotide probe. Cleft palate was induced by retinoic acid (
RA) treatment of pregnant dams. Normal and RA-treated fetuses of gesta
tional days 14-18 were examined. E-cadherin was present in epithelia o
f both ectodermal and endodermal origin, including developing teeth an
d epithelia of the palate as well as respiratory and oral epithelia. T
he expression level of E-cadherin increased with age and differentiati
on. In normal fetuses, at day 18, the expression was higher in the epi
thelia of the oral cavity than in the forming nasal cavity. The expres
sion pattern of E-cadherin implies that this molecule has a role durin
g normal development of the epithelia of the craniofacial complex.