DYNAMIC EXPRESSION OF E-CADHERIN IN AMELOBLASTS AND CEMENTOBLASTS IN MICE

During embryonic development, E-cadherin mediates intercellular adhesi on in a variety of epithelia in a spatio-temporal pattern. We have ana lyzed the distribution of this cell adhesion molecule in the mouse dur ing odontogenesis, at both mRNA and protein levels, in the mandibular first molars and incisors. E-cadherin was strongly expressed at the be ll stage by the cells of the dental organ, and by the pre-secretory am eloblasts and the cells of stratum intermedium at the early mineraliza tion stage. At the onset of enamel secretion, E-cadherin disappeared f rom the apical pool of the ameloblasts and was later absent from the p ost-secretory ameloblasts. E-cadherin was also found in Hertwig's root sheath and later in the cells producing acellular cementum. These fin dings indicate that E-cadherin may be involved in the polarization of the ameloblasts and in the early stages of cementogenesis.