Spontaneous emergence of overgrown molar teeth in a colony of Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)
Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Continuously growing incisors are common to all rodents, which include the Microtus genus of voles. However, unlike many rodents, voles also possess continuously growing molars. Here, we report spontaneous molar defects in a population of Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). We identified bilateral protuberances on the ventral surface of the mandible in several voles in our colony. In some cases, the protuberances broke through the cortical bone. The mandibular molars became exposed and infected, and the maxillary molars entered the cranial vault. Visualisation upon soft tissue removal and microcomputed tomography (microCT) analyses confirmed that the protuberances were caused by the overgrowth of the apical ends of the molar teeth. We speculate that the unrestricted growth of the molars was due to the misregulation of the molar dental stem cell niche. Further study of this molar phenotype may yield additional insight into stem cell regulation and the evolution and development of continuously growing teeth. Overgrown molars in some prairie voles could help explain the development of continuously growing teeth in rodents, say US researchers. All rodents have incisors that grow continuously throughout their lives but voles also possess continuously growing molars. Andrew Jheon at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-workers noticed that three animals in their vole colony showed unusually large molar protuberances and that these characteristics were passed on to their offspring. In some cases, the extra-large molars became infected or even broke through into the brain. The incisors of the affected voles appeared to be normal, leading the researchers to suggest that there are important genetic regulatory differences between incisors and molars. Specifically, the unrestricted molar growth may be caused by mis-regulation of a unique group of molar dental stem cells.
DOI: 10.1038/ijos.2014.75
Authors: Andrew H Jheon, Michaela Prochazkova, Michael Sherman, Devanand S Manoli, Nirao M Shah, Lawrence Carbone, Ophir Klein
Institutions: University of California, San Francisco, Charles University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,890
Funders: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, National Institutes of Health, University of California, San Francisco, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Awards: The role of Bmi1 in regulation of dental stem cells, High Resolution Non-Invasive Imaging of Oral and Craniofacial Tissues, An evolutionary-developmental approach to stem cells using teeth as a model, NIDCR Dentist Scientist K99;Function and Regulation of Perp in Amelogenesis, Dissecting the neural control of social attachment, G7244098670, TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCHERS
OpenAlex ID: W2061376225