Phenotype Image Detail

Image

Caption

SEM of the mandibular molars (A and B) and mandibular incisor (C-J) of a Klk4^tm1.1Jpsi/Klk4^tm1.1Jpsi mouse at 7 weeks. The enamel of all molars showed a significant loss of enamel from all working surfaces (buccal cusps, occlusal surface, and marginal ridges) (A and B). Similarly, the enamel layer was abraded at the working (buccal) surface of the mandibular incisor at its tip (C). Higher magnification of the chipped area near the tip of the incisor showed the break was in the enamel layer, close to, but not at the DEJ (dentino-enamel junction). The broken surface appears to be composed of interrod (ir) enamel with holes where enamel rods (r) had pulled out and separated (D) from the initial deposit of interrod enamel near the DEJ. The holes are too numerous to be made by odontoblastic processes penetrating the enamel (enamel spindles). The orientation of the crystallites on the walls of the holes is parallel to the direction of the tubular holes and to the crystallites between the holes (E). This is not the case for tubular and intertubular dentin. The enamel rods are well organized in the mutant mouse (F-G and I-J), but the crystallites within a rod are not adherent and individual crystallites are seen spilled out onto the broken enamel surface (G and H).

Copyright

This image is from Simmer JP, J Biol Chem 2009 Jul 10;284(28):19110-21 and is displayed with the permission of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology who owns the Copyright. Full text from JBC. J:151626

Associated Alleles

Symbol	Name
Klk4^tm1.1Jpsi	kallikrein related-peptidase 4 (prostase, enamel matrix, prostate); targeted mutation 1.1, James P Simmer

Associated Genotypes

Allelic Composition	Genetic Background
Klk4^tm1.1Jpsi/Klk4^tm1.1Jpsi	involves: Black Swiss * C57BL/6