W. Schwab et al., Immunohistochemical localization of the differentiation marker E11 in dental development of rats, ACT HISTOCH, 101(4), 1999, pp. 431-436
E11 antigen, originally characterized in a rat osteosarcoma cell line, is k
nown to be expressed during late stages of the osteogenic cell lineage both
in vitro and in vivo. The aim of the present study was to monitor the occu
rrence and distribution patterns of the Ell antigen using monoclonal antibo
dies (mAb Ell and MEP-1) during different stages of tooth germ development
of newborn rats by means of immunohistochemistry. Both antibodies strongly
bound to plasma membranes of ameloblasts in presecretory and secretory stag
es. In addition, odontoblasts and cells of the periodontium were immunoreac
tive for Ell and MEP-I. During maturation, the immunoreactivity of;amelobla
st plasma membranes decreased significantly. Our data suggest that Ell and
MEP-1 might be important as markers for cell differentiation and mineraliza
tion processes during tooth germ development.