Region-specific gene expression profiling of early mouse mandible uncovered SATB2 as a key molecule for teeth patterning

Mammalian dentition exhibits distinct heterodonty, with more simple teeth located in the anterior area of the jaw and more complex teeth situated posteriorly. While some region-specific differences in signaling have been described previously, here we performed gene expression profiling of anterior and posterior areas of the lower jaw at two early stages (E11.5 and E12.5) of organogenesis. Gene expression profiling revealed distinct region-specific expression patterns in mouse mandibles including several known members of BMP and FGF signaling. We have also identified new transcription factors exhibiting strong differences in expression along the anterior-posterior axis, such as SATB2.