Reciprocal interactions between epithelium and mesenchyme are crucial for embryonic development. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a growth factor family that play an important role in epithelial-mesenchymal tissue interaction. We have generated epithelial-specific conditional knockout mice targeting Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (Fgfr2) to investigate the function of FGF signaling during craniofacial development. K14-Cre;Fgfr2(fl/fl) mice have skin defects, retarded tooth formation, and cleft palate. During the formation of the tooth primordium and palatal processes, cell proliferation in the epithelial cells of K14-Cre;Fgfr2(fl/fl) mice is reduced. Thus, FGF signaling via FGFR2 in the epithelium is crucial for cell proliferation activity during tooth and palate development.
(c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.