Open AccessEmbryonic mouse submandibular salivary gland morphogenesis and the TNF/TNF‐R1 signal transduction pathway
Author(s) -
Melnick Michael,
Chen Haiming,
Zhou Yanmin,
Jaskoll Tina
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the anatomical record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1097-0185
pISSN - 0003-276X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0185(20010301)262:3<318::aid-ar1023>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - morphogenesis , signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , tumor necrosis factor alpha , biology , cytokine , submandibular gland , apoptosis , embryonic stem cell , salivary gland , immunology , endocrinology , gene , biochemistry
TNF is a pleiotropic cytokine that modulates cell proliferation and apoptosis. The objective of the present study was to investigate the possible function(s) of the TNF/TNF‐R1 signaling pathway in embryonic mouse submandibular salivary gland (SMG) morphogenesis. After characterizing in vivo mRNA and protein expression of various constituents of this pathway, we utilized in vitro experiments to investigate the phenotypic outcomes of enhanced and deficient ligand. The results of these experiments indicate that the TNF/TNF‐R1 signal transduction pathway plays an important role in balancing cell proliferation and apoptosis during SMG duct and presumptive acini formation. Anat Rec 262:318–330, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.