Comparison Of Gene Expression Profiles Of E14.5 And E18.5 Mice Tooth Germs By A CDNA Microarray

We compared the gene expression profiles of mice E14.5 andE18.5 tooth germs as representative sages of the tooth development. Total RNA from extracted tooth germs was reverse-transcribed to generate cDNA probes and then hybridized with the mouse gene expression Microarray CSC-ME-80, and results were analyzed using the MIDAS software from chipsreen bioscienses ltd. Although there is a difference in the number of expressed genes between them, E14.5 and E18.5 samples were found to share a similar level of gene expression for more than 5000 known genes. And the majority (71 of 76) differentially expressed genes, including genes involved in controlling and mediating cell cycle, receptor and signal transduction associated genes, enzymes and protein factors involved in metabolism, genes involved in stress response, significantly up-regulated at E18.5 tooth germs. Furthermore, we confirmed the differential expression of two genes Melk and Fzd3 by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction. This report describes the gene expression patterns of two distinct sages of tooth development,. and provides a basis for further understanding for biological characteristics in the tooth development.