Nuclear Factor I-C Regulates Stemness Genes and Proliferation of Stem Cells in Various Mineralized Tissue through Epithelial-Mesenchymal Interactions in Dental Epithelial Stem Cells

Figure 2

Nfic regulates Sox2 expression in the dental epithelium. (a) Expression of Sox2 mRNA and (b) protein levels were analyzed in the transfected ALCs. , . (c) Sox2 promoter activity was analyzed in the Nfic-overexpressing ALCs in comparison to the control. , . (d) Sox2 gene and (e) protein expression levels in ABC from the cervical loop of WT and Nfic KO mice were analyzed. (f) The histological structure of WT and Nfic KO cervical loop and their Sox2 expression pattern were examined through immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. (b) and (d) are higher magnifications of boxed (a) and (c), respectively. Postnatal 7 days. Scale bars = ; . Data are presented as the . Abbreviations: ALC: ameloblast lineage cell; CL: cervical loop; DM: dental mesenchyme; IEE: inner enamel epithelium; IHC: immunohistochemistry; KO: knockout; OEE: outer enamel epithelium; SR: stellate reticulum; WT: wild type.

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