The Enamel Knot As Signaling Center
The enamel knot is a signaling center of the tooth that provides positional information for tooth morphogenesis and regulates the growth of tooth cusps. The enamel knot produces a range of molecular signals from all the major signaling families, such as Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGF), Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt signals. These molecular signals direct the growth of the surrounding epithelium and mesenchyme.
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