Le développement dentaire est orchestré par une série de signalisations inductives réciproques entre l'épithélium dentaire et le mésenchyme, qui conduit à la formation de la dentine et de l'émail. EMMPRIN/CD147 est un INducteur des MetalloPRoteinases de la Matrice Extracellulaire (MMPs) qui régule les interactions épithélio-mésenchymateuses dans le cancer et d'autres processus pathologiques et est exprimé lors du développement dentaire. Ainsi, nous avons utilisé des souris KO pour EMMPRIN pour déterminer le rôle d'EMMPRIN dans la formation des tissus dentaires. Nous avons démontré que l’absence d’EMMPRIN conduisait dans le germe dentaire à une diminution de l’expression de MMP-3 et de MMP-20, à un retard de la dégradation de la membrane basale, à un retard de la formation de l’émail bien visible dans l'incisive à croissance continue, à une diminution du volume et de l'épaisseur d'émail, mais à une maturation amélaire normale. Ces résultats indiquent qu'EMMPRIN est impliqué dans le dialogue épithélio-mésenchymateuse pendant le développement dentaire, principalement par la régulation de l'expression de certaines MMPS. Nous avons ensuite essayé d'évaluer le rôle potentiel d'EMMPRIN dans le processus de réparation dentaire en comparant la cicatrisation de blessures pulpaires des souris KO pour EMMPRIN à des souris WT. Enfin, dans un souci de transfert vers la clinique, nous avons évalué la capacité d’extraits de pépin de raisin (connu pour être des inhibiteurs naturels de MMPs) à empêcher la dégradation de la matrice dentinaire humaine déminéralisée et traitée par MMP-3. / Tooth development is regulated by a series of reciprocal inductive signalings between the dental epithelium and mesenchyme, which culminates with the formation of dentin and enamel. EMMPRIN/CD147 is an Extracellular Matrix MetalloPRoteinase (MMP) INducer that mediates epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in cancer and other pathological processes and is expressed in developing teeth. Here we used EMMPRIN knockout (KO) mice to determine the functional role of EMMPRIN on dental tissues formation. We demonstrated that EMMPRIN deficiency results in decreased in MMP-3 and MMP-20 expressions, delayed in basement membrane degradation in tooth germ, delayed in enamel formation well distinguishable in incisor, and in decreased enamel volume and thickness but normal maturation. These results indicate that EMMPRIN is involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal cross-talk during tooth development by regulating the expression of MMPs. Then we tried to investigate the potential role of EMMPRIN in the pulp dentin repair process by comparing the healing of injured pulps of EMMPRIN KO and WT mice. Finally, we evaluated the capacity of grape-seed extracts (known to be natural inhibitors of MMPs and used in new daily mouthrinse) to prevent the degradation of human demineralized dentin matrix by MMP-3.

Yes / The skeletal remains of infants and children are a poignant reminder of the perilous nature of childhood in the past, yet they offer valuable insight into the life histories of individuals and into the health of populations. Many osteoarchaeological and bioarchaeological analyses are dependent on two vital pieces of information: the age-at-death and sex of the individual(s) under study. This chapter will outline how age-at-death and sex can be estimated from the skeletal remains and dental development of non-adults, and how these are easier or more difficult to determine than for adults, and will discuss the complexities and controversies surrounding different methods.

Yes / Sampling of dentine for stable carbon (δ13 C) and nitrogen (δ15 N) isotope ratios in the direction of tooth growth allows the study of temporal changes to the diet and physiological stress of an individual during tooth formation. Current methods of sampling permanent teeth using 1mm increments provide temporal resolution of six - nine months at best depending on the tooth chosen. While this gives sufficient sample sizes for reliable analysis by mass spectrometry, sectioning the dentine across the incremental structures results in a rolling average of the isotope ratios. A novel method of incremental dentine collagen sampling has been developed to decrease the collagen increment size to 0.35mm along the incremental structures thus reducing averaging and improving the temporal resolution of short-term changes within the δ13 C and δ15 N values. This study presents data for a MicroMill-assisted sampling method that allows for sampling at 0.35mm width x 1mm depth increments following the incremental growth pattern of dentine. A NewWave MicroMill was used to sample the demineralised dentine section of modern donated human third molars from Sudan and compared to data from the same teeth using the 1mm incremental sectioning method 2 from Beaumont et al. (2013). The δ13 C and δ15 N isotopic data showed an increased temporal resolution, with each increment providing data for two-four months of dentine formation. The data show the potential of this method for studying dietary reconstruction, nutritional stress, and physiological change with greater temporal resolution potentially to seasonal level and with less attenuation of the δ13 C and δ15 N values than was previously possible from human dentine.