FGF signalling in craniofacial development and developmental disorders

The Fgf signalling pathway is highly conserved in evolution and plays crucial roles in development. In the craniofacial region, it is involved in almost all structure development from early patterning to growth regulation. In craniofacial skeletogenesis, the Fgf signal pathway plays important roles in suture and synchondrosis regulation. Mutations of FGF receptors relate to syndromatic and non-syndromatic craniosynostosis. The Fgf10/Fgfr2b signal loop is critical for palatogenesis and submandibular gland formation. Perturbation of the Fgf signal is a possible mechanism of palatal cleft. Fgf10 haploinsufficiency has been identified as the cause of autosomal dominant aplasia of lacrimal and salivary glands. The Fgf signal is also a key regulator of tooth formation: in the absence of Fgfr2b tooth development is arrested at the bud stage. Fgfr4 has recently been identified as the key signal mediator in myogenesis. In this review, these aspects are discussed in detail with a focus on the most recent advances.