Epithelial and mesenchymal interactions in odontogenic tumors: A review Patil Shruthi K.1,*, K.P. Mohankumar2, K.M. Ajith3, G.C. Manasa4 1Department of Oral Pathology, Assistant Professor, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere 2Department of Oral Pathology, Assistant Professor, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere 3Department of E.N.T., Associate Professor, S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Davangere 4Department of Pathology, Assistant Professor, J.J.M. Medical College, Davangere *Corresponding Author: Dr. Shruthi K. Patil, Assistant Professor, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere.
Online published on 6 September, 2013. Abstract Epithelial and mesenchymal interactions studied in humans during embryogenesis and also in the formation of various tissues like salivary glands, odontogenesis etc. Odontogenesis is the product of reciprocal interactions between cranial neural crest cells and oral epithelium, in odontogenesis, the mesenchyme influences the epithelium, the epithelial tissue, once changed by the mesenchyme, can secrete factors that change the mesenchyme. Here, the neural crestderived mesenchyme cells become the dentin-secreting odontoblasts, while the jaw epithelium differentiates into the enamel-secreting ameloblasts, these molecular mechanisms involved in tooth formation have started to be increasingly well understood. Tissue remnants of the developing tooth form a histologically variable group of tumors, called odontogenic tumors possibly reflecting different developmental stages in tooth formation. These are rare neoplasms; there is lack of information about ectomesenchymal interactions involved in the pathogenesis of these tumors, so this review gains knowledge about ectomesenchymal interactions in odontogenic tumors. Top Keywords Epithelial and mesenchymal interactions, odontogenesis, odontogenic tumors. Top |