Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Gene Expression During Growth and Fusion of the Mouse Facial Prominences

Growth and patterning of the face relies on several small buds of tissue, the facial prominences, which surround the primitive mouth. Beginning around E10 of mouse development the prominences undergo rapid growth and morphogenesis. By E11.5 the medial nasal prominences are in close apposition in the midline, as are the maxillary and medial nasal prominences on either side of the developing face. Subsequently, by E12.5 the nasal and maxillary prominences fuse to form a continuous shelf at the front of the face - the primary palate. Individual prominences are associated with specific developmental processes, and this is reflected by patterns of differential gene expression that give the prominences their unique identities. Thus, only the mandibular and maxillary prominences give rise to dentition while the frontonasal prominence has a unique role in olfaction, and the mandibular prominence in taste. We used microarrays to detail the differential gene expression program in each of the mandibular, maxillary, and frontonasal prominences during the key developmental timepoints of E10.0 through E12.5.

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Feng W, Leach SM, Tipney H, Phang T, Geraci M, Spritz RA, Hunter LE, Williams T