Molecular mechanisms of tooth development

We are interested in identifying genes and signaling pathways which control tooth development. Under this we are investigating

1. 1Development of complex dentition over ontogeny
2. 2Development of the tooth attachment
3. 3The process of tooth regeneration

Z. Fang’s work (https://doi.org/10.1111/ahe.70038) demonstrates that both dental morphs replace functional teeth through a successional dental lamina marked by sox2 expression, highlighted by brown cellular areas outlined by red dots in M. tetra lower jaw images. This identifies sox2 as a conserved dental stem cell marker across osteichthyes and mammals. Notably, early tooth development lacks a continuous dental lamina, implying primary teeth form independently—a finding with significant implications for understanding congenital dental birth defects.