Title:MicroRNAs: Modulators of Tooth Development
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
Author(s): Cuong Khuu, Minou Nirvani, Tor P. Utheim and Amer Sehic
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Ectodermal organs, gene expression, odontogenesis, organogenesis, stem cells, tooth formation.
Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that are involved in various
biological pathways by regulating gene expression. Teeth develop via reciprocal and
sequential interactions between the epithelium and the ectomesenchyme. The
specic functions of several genes during tooth development are known, and the involvement
of their mutations in the pathogenesis of congenital dental defects has
been widely studied. The miRNA pathway is considered to have a significant role in
embryogenesis including tooth development. It has been shown that miRNAs regulate
morphogenesis of tooth by fine-tuning the signalling networks, however, their
precise role in tooth differentiation and morphogenesis is still elusive. The present
review focuses on the studies that have used animal models to explore the function
of miRNAs in tooth development. Major findings with special emphasis on the miRNA involvement in
ne-tuning and network regulation are presented and discussed. Disturbances in tooth development in
the global miRNA processing knockouts mirror the essential fine-tuning guiding appropriate formation
of dental hard tissues. However, further investigation of single miRNA function and mutation, including
deletion and overexpression, may lead to improved knowledge on development of particular dental defects
in humans. In the light of similarities between tooth development and other organs originating
from the epithelium, further understanding of miRNAs` function during tooth development may have
wide biological relevance.
