Family-with-sequence-similarity-46, member A (Fam46a) gene is expressed in developing tooth buds

Objective: In search for possible novel genes that may be involved in tooth development, we analysed the genome-wide transcriptome of developing mandibular tooth germs of mouse during embryonic and early life and selected family-with-sequence-similarity-46, member A (Fam46a) gene for further expression analysis. Methods: We applied microarray, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridisation methods for the expression study of the mouse Fam46a gene. Results: We found the family-with-sequence-similarity-46, member A (Fam46a) gene to be highly expressed and further verify its temporo-spatial expression in the mouse tooth. Conclusion: We have shown that Fam46a is expressed in ameloblasts' nuclei of tooth germs and hypothesise that it might act together with morphogenetic factors important for the formation of enamel in mouse tooth. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.