# CRANIOFACIAL CHONDROGENESIS AND RETINOID RECEPTORS

> **NIH NIH K11** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 1994 · $45,981

## Abstract

The major theme of this proposal is to improve our understanding of how
retinoic acid and its receptors contribute to craniofacial development.
The first phase of the study will define the temporal and spatial
expressions of the specific retinoic acid receptors and cellular retinoic
acid binding protein (CRABP) in embryonic mouse craniofacial mesenchyme.
This will be done by in situ and Northern blot hybridization.  Receptor
gene expression from different facial areas will be quantitatively compared
using an image analyzer system.  Receptor expression will also be studied
in embryos exposed to teratogenic doses of exogenous retinoic acid.  The
second phase of the investigation will analyze the expression of retinoic
acid receptors and CRABP in high density micromass cell cultures of
mesenchyme taken from different craniofacial areas, with and without
exogenous retinoic acid.  This study will provide information concerning
the role of specific retinoic acid receptors in controlling mesectodermal
chondrogenesis.  In the studies of both of these phases, special emphasis
will be made on observing any differences between first and second brachial
arch mesenchyme, because consistent differences in their responses to
exogenous retinoids have been found in mice, nonhuman primates, and humans.
The third phase probes retinoic acid's role in craniofacial development by
blocking expression of retinoic acid receptor genes.  Antisense
oligonucleotides or retroviruses containing antisense fragments of receptor
cDNAs will be used to block receptor expression.  The antisense
oligonucleotides will be added to the micromass mesectodermal cell
cultures.  The retroviruses will be injected into the neural fold of mouse
embryos, in order to transfect some cells destined to become cranial neural
crest.  These embryos will then be allowed to grow in whole embryo and
micromass cell culture.  This series of experiments should provide insight
into the developmental regulation of retinoic acid receptors and CRABP
during normal craniofacial chondrogenesis and following exogenous
application of retinoic acid that is known to induce craniofacial
malformations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2194554
- **Project number:** 5K11HD001019-03
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJD6G4D6TJY5
- **Principal Investigator:** Edward James Lammer
- **Activity code:** K11 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $45,981
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-07-01 → 1994-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2194554

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2194554, CRANIOFACIAL CHONDROGENESIS AND RETINOID RECEPTORS (5K11HD001019-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2194554. Licensed CC0.

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