Enhanced BMP activity in CNC-derived tissues via caBMPRIa causes complete cleft palate.

<p>(A, C, E) Whole mount and coronal sections show normal palatal shelf of P0 wild type mice. Black lines in (A) indicate section levels shown in (C) and (E). (B, D, F) Whole mount and coronal sections show complete cleft (denoted by asterisk) of the secondary palate of P0 <i>Wnt1Cre</i>;<i>pMes</i>-<i>caBmprIa</i> mice. Note presence of ectopic cartilages (arrows) in craniofacial region. Black lines in (B) indicate section levels shown in (D) and (F). (G–J) Coronal sections of P0 control and <i>Wnt1Cre</i>;<i>pMes</i>-<i>caBmprIa</i> mice show comparable morphology of upper and lower incisors. Note enlarged nasal septal cartilage in transgenic animal. (K, L) Coronal sections of P0 control and transgenic mice show first molar structure with less differentiated odontoblasts and ameloblasts (inserts) in transgenic animal. T, tongue; AM, ameloblasts; LI, lower incisor; NS, nasal septum; OB, odontoblasts; PS, palatal shelf; UI, upper incisor. Scale bar = 500 µm.