Establishment of dental epithelial cell line (HAT-7) and the cell differentiation dependent on Notch signaling pathway

Connect Tissue Res. 2002;43(2-3):409-12. doi: 10.1080/03008200290000637.

Abstract

Rat incisors grow continuously throughout life. Producing a variety of dental epithelial cells is performed by stem cells located in the cervical loop of the incisor apex. To study the mechanisms for cell differentiation, we established a dental epithelial cell line (HAT-7) originating from a cervical loop epithelium of a rat incisor. Immunochemical studies showed that HAT-7 produced the cells expressing amelogenin, ameloblastin, or alkaline phosphatase (ALP). To illustrate a role of Notch signaling in the determinant of the cell fate, we examined expression patterns of Notch1 and Jagged1 in HAT-7 density dependently. At lower cell density, Notch1- or Jagged1-expressing cells were not seen. However, when they were fully confluent, cells began to express Notch1 or Jagged1 strongly. Some ALP-positive cells were almost consistent with Notch1-expressing cells but not Jagged1-expressing cells. These results suggested that the determinant of direction of differentiation was associated with Notch signaling pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Cell Communication
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / physiology
  • Incisor / cytology*
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Jagged-1 Protein
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology*
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Notch
  • Serrate-Jagged Proteins
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Jag1 protein, rat
  • Jagged-1 Protein
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Receptors, Notch
  • Serrate-Jagged Proteins