Down-regulated Genes in Mouse Dental Papillae and Pulp

Goal of experiment: Identify genes down-regulated between pre- and post-natal stages in mouse dental papillae. Epithelial-mesenchymal interaction is very important during tooth development, and many genes are associated with odontogenesis. The capacity for odontogenesis in mouse dental papillae disappears between the pre- and post-natal stages. We hypothesized that genes involved in odontogenesis were down-regulated in dental papillae between these stages. To test this hypothesis, we investigated and compared gene profiles in pre- and post-natal stage dental papillae with the GeneChip Mouse Genome 430 2.0 Array. Experimental factors: tooth development (odontogenesis)