The University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine (CU Dental) says the “gene discovery” will give more insight into how humans develop craniofacial abnormalities such as the common cleft lip and palate.
Dental researchers have found a gene that affects the development of the craniofacial part of the body – the bones of the skull and face.
The University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine (CU Dental) says the “gene discovery” will give more insight into how humans develop craniofacial abnormalities such as the common cleft lip and palate.
It took the research team of Dr. Jamie Nichols, CU Dental craniofacial biology Assistant Professor, eight years to understand how genes affect a crucial component on facial structures.
CU Dental postdoctoral researcher Jennyfer Mitchell identified the function of a specific gene, called alx3, that shapes the area between the eyes and above the lip.
The zebrafish, a popular freshwater aquarium fish, was most helpful in the discovery. This is because the zebrafish are fertilized outside of their body. That means skeletal development occurs outside, enabling researchers to observe how cartilage and bone cells form.
The researchers looked at the genes of cells behind the fish’s nostrils. By manipulating gene sequences, changes occurred in the craniofacial bones of the zebrafish.
“Changing this gene changed the shape of the craniofacial skeleton without any apparent harm to the fish. They can swim and feed and breathe even though their facial skeleton has differently shaped cartilages and bones,” said Dr. Nichols. “We think that genetic changes like this might provide important fuel for natural selection to produce new facial shapes and structures during evolution.”
The function the researchers found in zebrafish may be true in humans as well, “which opens a world of possibilities to understand the cellular and molecular basis of the deformities we see in human patients,” said Dr. Mitchell, the lead author of the study paper published by The Company of Biologists Journal Development.
“There is a whole family of alx genes present in fish, and us too,” said Dr. Nichols. “Now we’re finding new interesting craniofacial shapes in this same part of the skeleton when multiple alx genes are removed at the same time.”
“We are also starting to look at genetic interactions with other genes outside of the alx family as possible candidates that are part of a genetic network responsible for shaping key elements of the face,” said Dr. Mitchell who has a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology.
“I couldn’t wait to keep deepening my analysis and find new ways to study this special group of cells responsible for building the craniofacial skeleton.”
The research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the US National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research under a grant that focuses on diversity in the biomedical workforce.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./WDJ