Pitx2, Wnt/β-catenin signaling and microRNAs (miRs) play a critical role in the regulation of dental stem cells during embryonic development. In this report, we have identified a novel Pitx2:β-catenin regulatory pathway involved in epithelial cell differentiation and conversion of mesenchyme cells to amelogenin expressing epithelial cells via miR-200a. Pitx2 and β-catenin are expressed in the labial incisor cervical loop (LaCL) or epithelial stem cell niche, with decreased expression in the differentiating ameloblast cells of the mouse lower incisor. miR-200a-3p expression is activated in the pre-ameloblast cells to enhance epithelial cell differentiation. Pitx2 activates miR-200a-3p expression and miR-200a-3p reciprocally represses Pitx2 and β-catenin expression. Pitx2 and β-catenin interact to synergistically activate gene expression during odontogenesis and miR-200a-3p attenuates their expression and directs differentiation. To understand how this mechanism controls cell differentiation and cell fate, oral epithelial and odontoblast mesenchyme cells were reprogrammed by a two-step induction method using Pitx2 and miR-200a-3p. Conversion to dental amelogenin expressing epithelial cells involved an up-regulation of the stem cell marker Sox2 and proliferation genes and decreased expression of mesenchymal markers. E-cadherin expression was increased as well as ameloblast specific factors. The combination of Pitx2, a regulator of dental stem cells and miR-200a converts mesenchyme cells to a fully differentiated dental epithelial cell type. This pathway and reprogramming can be used to reprogram mesenchyme or oral epitehlial cells to dental epithelial (ameloblast) cells, which can be used in tissue repair and regeneration studies.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
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3%
Computer Science
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Other
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Unknown
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20%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 6. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 16 February 2021.
All research outputs
#6,846,659
of 31,591,940 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Biological Chemistry
#6,848
of 28,453 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#56,445
of 260,446 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Biological Chemistry
#99
of 485 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 31,591,940 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 74th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 28,453 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.2. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 70% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 260,446 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 75% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 485 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 75% of its contemporaries.
