Person: Martínez Álvarez, María Concepción
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First Name
María Concepción
Last Name
Martínez Álvarez
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Odontología
Department
Area
Anatomía y Embriología Humana
Identifiers
14 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 14
Item Occurrence of cleft-palate and alteration of Tgf-β3 expression and the mechanisms leading to palatal fusion in mice following dietary folic-acid deficiency(Cells Tissues Organs, 2011) Maldonado Bautista, Estela; Murillo González, Jorge Alfonso; Barrio Asensio, María Del Carmen; Río Sevilla, Aurora Del; Pérez De Miguelsanz, María Juliana; López Gordillo, Yamila; Partearroyo, Teresa; Paradas Lara, Irene; Maestro De Las Casas, María Del Carmen; Martínez Sanz, Elena; Varela Moreiras, Gregorio; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónFolic acid (FA) is essential for numerous bodily functions. Its decrease during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations in the progeny. The relationship between FA deficiency and the appearance of cleft palate (CP) is controversial, and little information exists on a possible effect of FA on palate development. We investigated the effect of a 2–8 weeks’ induced FA deficiency in female mice on the development of CP in their progeny as well as the mechanisms leading to palatal fusion, i.e. cell proliferation, cell death, and palatal-shelf adhesion and fusion. We showed that an 8 weeks’ maternal FA deficiency caused complete CP in the fetuses although a 2 weeks’ maternal FA deficiency was enough to alter all the mechanisms analyzed. Since transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) is crucial for palatal fusion and since most of the mechanisms impaired by FA deficiency were also observed in the palates of Tgf-β3 null mutant mice, we investigated the presence of TGF-beta 3 mRNA, its protein and phospho-SMAD2 in FA-deficient (FAD) mouse palates. Our results evidenced a large reduction in Tgf-β3 expression in palates of embryos of dams fed an FAD diet for 8 weeks; Tgf-β3 expression was less reduced in palates of embryos of dams fed an FAD diet for 2 weeks. Addition of Tgf-β3 to palatal-shelf cultures of embryos of dams fed an FAD diet for 2 weeks normalized all the altered mechanisms. Thus, an insufficient folate status may be a risk factor for the development of CP in mice, and exogenous Tgf-β3 compensates this deficit in vitro.Item A new technique for feeding dogs with a congenital cleft palate for surgical research(Laboratory Animals, 2011) López-Gordillo, Yamila et al.; González-Meli, B; Martínez Sanz, Elena; Casado Gómez, Inmaculada; Martín Álvaro, María Concepción; González Aranda, Pablo; Paradas Lara, Irene; Maldonado Bautista, Estela; Maestro De Las Casas, María Del Carmen; Prados Frutos, Juan Carlos; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónIn humans, cleft palate (CP) is one of the most common malformations. Although surgeons use palatoplasty to close CP defects in children, its consequences for subsequent facial growth have prompted investigations into other novel surgical alternatives. The animal models of CP used to evaluate new surgical treatments are frequently obtained by creating surgically induced clefts in adult dogs. This procedure has been ethically criticized due to its severity and questionable value as an animal model for human CP. Dogs born with a congenital CP would be much better for this purpose, provided they developed CP at a sufficient rate and could be fed. Up until now, feeding these pups carried the risk of aspiration pneumonia, while impeding normal suckling and chewing, and thus compromising orofacial growth. We developed a technique for feeding dog pups with CP from birth to the time of surgery using two old Spanish pointer dog pups bearing a complete CP. This dog strain develops CP in 15-20% of the offspring spontaneously. Custom-made feeding teats and palatal prostheses adapted to the pups' palates were made from thermoplastic plates. This feeding technique allowed lactation, eating and drinking in the pups with CP, with only sporadic rhinitis. To determine whether the use of this palatal prosthesis interferes with palatal growth, the palates of three littermate German shorthaired pointer pups without CP, either wearing or not wearing (controls) the prosthesis, were measured. The results showed that the permanent use of this prosthesis does not impede palatal growth in the pups.Item Craniofacial and three-dimensional palatal analysis in cleft lip and palate patients treated in Spain(Scientific Reports, 2022) Viñas Pinedo, María José; Galiotto Barba, Francesca; Berenguer, Beatriz; Lorca García, Concepción; Murillo González, Jorge Alfonso; Martínez Álvarez, María Concepción; Martínez Sanz, ElenaGrowth alterations have been described in patients operated on for oral clefts. The purpose of this work was to analyze the craniofacial and palate morphology and dimensions of young adults operated on for oral clefts in early childhood in Spain. Eighty-three patients from eight different hospitals were divided into four groups based on their type of cleft: cleft lip (CL, n = 6), unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP, n = 37), bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP, n = 16), and cleft palate only (CPO, n = 24). A control group was formed of 71 individuals. Three-dimensional (3D) digital models were obtained from all groups with an intraoral scanner, together with cephalometries and frontal, lateral, and submental facial photographs. Measurements were obtained and analyzed statistically. Our results showed craniofacial alterations in the BCLP, UCLP, and CPO groups with an influence on the palate, maxilla, and mandible and a direct impact on facial appearance. This effect was more severe in the BCLP group. Measurements in the CL group were similar to those in the control group. Cleft characteristics and cleft type seem to be the main determining factors of long-term craniofacial growth alterations in these patients. Prospective research is needed to clearly delineate the effects of different treatments on the craniofacial appearance of adult cleft patients.Item In Vitro Manipulation of Cleft Palate Connective Tissue: Setting the Bases of a Proposed New Treatment(Journal of Surgical Research, 2006) Resel, Eva; Martínez Sanz, Elena; González, Ignacio; Trinidad, Eva; Garcillán, Beatriz; Amorós, María; Alonso Bañuelos, Carmen; González Meli, Beatriz; Lagarón, Emilio; Murillo González, Jorge Alfonso; Río Sevilla, Aurora Del; Barrio Asensio, María Del Carmen; López, María; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónBackground. Palatoplasty has the undesired side effect of impaired mid-facial growth. To avoid this problem, we propose an alternative to palatoplasty. We hypothesize that if BMP-2 is injected together with a carrier into the periosteum of the cleft palate borders, border volume will increase and connective tissue cells will be activated to produce extra bone. Once these borders supported by bone reach the midline, extraction of their covering epithelia with trypsin will permit adhesion of the underlying tissues. We investigated in vitro the ability of cleft palate connective tissue cells to produce extra bone in the presence of BMP-2 and the possibility of using trypsin to remove the epithelium covering the cleft palate borders without impairing the underlying tissues’ ability to adhere. Materials and methods. We used the cleft palate presented by tgf- 3 null mice and small fragments of human cleft palate mucoperiosteum as models. Immunolabeling BMP-2-treated or untreated cultures with TUNEL and anti-osteocalcin or PCNA antibodies was performed. The epithelium of the cleft palate borders was removed with a trypsin solution, and the deepithelialized tissues were cultured in apposition. Results. BMP-2 induces differentiation toward bone on cleft palate connective tissue cells without producing cell death or proliferation. Trypsin removal of the cleft palate margins’ epithelium does not impair the underlying tissues’ adhesion. Conclusion. It is possible to generate extra bone at the cleft palate margins and to chemically eliminate their covering epithelia without damaging the underlying tissues, which allows further investigation in vivo of this new approach for cleft palate closure.Item Interactions between TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta3 and their role in medial edge epithelium cell death and palatal fusion in vitro(Differentiation, 2009) Murillo Arroyo, Francisco Javier; Maldonado Bautista, Estela; Barrio MC; Río Sevilla, Aurora Del; López, Y; Martínez Sanz, Elena; González, I; Martín Álvaro, María Concepción; Casado Gómez, Inmaculada; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónIn recent decades, studies have shown that both TGF-b1 and TGF-b3 play an important role in the induction of medial edge epithelium (MEE) cell death and palatal fusion. Many of these experiments involved the addition or blockage of one of these growth factors in wild-type (WT) mouse palate cultures, where both TGF-b1 and TGF-b3 are present. Few studies have addressed the existence of interactions between TGF-b1 and TGF-b3, which could modify their individual roles in MEE cell death during palatal fusion. We carried out several experiments to test this possibility, and to investigate how this could influence TGF-b1 and TGF-b3 actions on MEE cell death and palatal shelf fusion. We double immunolabelled developing mouse palates with anti-TGF-b1 or anti-TGF-b3 antibodies and TUNEL, added rhTGF-b1 or rhTGF-b3 or blocked the TGF-b1 and TGF-b3 action at different concentrations to WT or Tgf-b3 null mutant palate cultures, performed in situ hybridizations with Tgf-b1 or Tgf-b3 riboprobes, and measured the presence of TUNEL-positive midline epithelial seam (MES) cells and MES disappearance (palatal shelf fusion) in the different in vitro conditions. By combining all these experiments, we demonstrate great interaction between TGF-b1 and TGF-b3 in the developing palate and confirm that TGF-b3 has a more active role in MES cell death than TGF-b1, although both are major inductors of MES disappearance. Finally, the co-localization of TGF-b1, but not TGF-b3, with TUNEL in the MES allows us to suggest a possible role for TGF-b1 in MES apoptotic clearance.Item Transforming Growth Factor-β3 Regulates Adipocyte Number in Subcutaneous White Adipose Tissue(CELL REPORTS, 2017) Petrus, Paul et al.; Rydén M.; Maldonado Bautista, Estela; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónWhite adipose tissue (WAT) mass is determined by adipocyte size and number. While adipocytes are continuously turned over, the mechanisms controlling fat cell number in WAT upon weight changes are unclear. Herein, prospective studies of human subcutaneous WAT demonstrate that weight gain increases both adipocyte size and number, but the latter remains unaltered after weight loss. Transcriptome analyses associate changes in adipocyte number with the expression of 79 genes. This gene set is enriched for growth factors, out of which one, transforming growth factor-b3 (TGFb3), stimulates adipocyte progenitor proliferation, resulting in a higher number of cells undergoing differentiation in vitro. The relevance of these observations was corroborated in vivo where Tgfb3+/ mice, in comparison with wild-type littermates, display lower subcutaneous adipocyte progenitor proliferation, WAT hypertrophy, and glucose intolerance. TGFb3 is therefore a regulator of subcutaneous adipocyte number and may link WAT morphology to glucose metabolism.- Project number: 144
Item Elaboración de modelos anatómicos y embriológicos mediante la impresión 3D(2016) Arráez Aybar, Luis Alfonso; Barrio Asensio, María Del Carmen; Cabrera Parra, Walter; Cuadra Blanco, Crótida De La; Río Sevilla, Aurora Del; García Gómez, Susana; Herrera Lara, Manuel Eugenio; Maestro De Las Casas, María Del Carmen; Martínez Álvarez, María Concepción; Mérida Velasco, José Ramón; Murillo González, Jorge Alfonso; Naredo Sánchez, Esperanza; Quirós Terrón, Luis; Pérez De Miguelsanz, María JulianaLa impresión 3D es un enfoque innovador en la docencia anatómica que puede proporcionar a los alumnos un material didáctico casi idéntico a la pieza embalsamada mitigando muchas de las múltiples controversias existentes en torno a la Disección Item Alteration of medial-edge epithelium cell adhesion in two Tgf-beta3 null mouse strains(Differentiation, 2008) Martínez Sanz, Elena; Río Sevilla, Aurora Del; Barrio Asensio, María Del Carmen; Maldonado Bautista, Estela; Murillo González, Jorge Alfonso; Garcillán, B; Amorós, M; Fuerte, T; Fernández, A; Trinidad, E; Rabadán, MA; López, Y; Martínez Salmeán, María Luisa; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónAlthough palatal shelf adhesion is a crucial event during palate development, little work has been carried out to determine which molecules are responsible for this process. Furthermore, whether altered palatal shelf adhesion causes the cleft palate presented by Tgf-b3 null mutant mice has not yet been clarified. Here, we study the presence/distribution of some extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules at the time of the contact of palatal shelves in both wild-type and Tgf-b3 null mutant palates of two strains of mice (C57/BL/6J(C57), and MF1) that develop cleft palates of different severity. We have performed immunohistochemistry with antibodies against collagens IV and IX, laminin, fibronectin, the a5- and b1-integrins, and ICAM-1; in situ hybridization with a Nectin-1 riboprobe; and palatal shelf cultures treated or untreated with TGF-b3 or neutralizing antibodies against fibronectin or the a5-integrin. Our results show the location of these molecules in the wild-type mouse medial edge epithelium (MEE) of both strains at the time of the contact of palatal shelves; the heavier (C57) and milder (MF1) alteration of their presence in the Tgf-b3 null mutants; the importance of TGF-b3 to restore their normal pattern of expression; and the crucial role of fibronectin and the a5-integrin in palatal shelf adhesion. We thus provide insight into the molecular bases of this important process and the cleft palate presented by Tgf-b3 null mutant mice.Item Maxillary growth in a congenital cleft palate canine model for surgical research(Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 2014) Paradas Lara, Irene; Casado Gómez, Inmaculada; Martín, Conchita; Martínez Sanz, Elena; López Gordillo, Yamila; González, Pablo; Rodríguez Bobada, Cruz; Chamorro, Manuel; Arias, Pablo; Maldonado Bautista, Estela; Ortega Aranegui, Ricardo; Berenguer, Beatriz; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónWe have recently presented the Old Spanish Pointer dog, with a 15-20% spontaneous congenital cleft palate rate, as a unique experimental model of this disease. This study aimed to describe the cleft palate of these dogs for surgical research purposes and to determine whether congenital cleft palate influences maxillofacial growth. Seven newborn Old Spanish Pointer dogs of both sexes, comprising a cleft palate group (n = 4) and a normal palate group (n = 3), were fed using the same technique. Macroscopic photographs and plaster casts from the palate, lateral radiographs and computer tomograms of the skull were taken sequentially over 41 weeks, starting at week 5. The cleft morphology, the size and the tissue characteristics in these dogs resembled the human cleft better than current available animal models. During growth, the cleft width varies. Most of the transverse and longitudinal measures of the palate were statistically lower in the cleft palate group. The cleft palate group showed hypoplasia of the naso-maxillary complex. This model of congenital cleft palate seems suitable for surgical research purposes. A reduced maxillofacial pre- and post-natal development is associated to the congenital cleft palate in the Old Spanish Pointer dog.Item Interactions between TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 and their role in medial edge epithelium cell death and palatal fusion in vitro(Differentiation, 2008) Murillo González, Jorge Alfonso; Maldonado Bautista, Estela; Barrio Asensio, María Del Carmen; Río Sevilla, Aurora Del; López, Yamila; Martínez Sanz, Elena; González, Ignacio; Martín, Concepción; Casado, Inmaculada; Martínez Álvarez, María ConcepciónIn recent decades, studies have shown that both TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(3) play an important role in the induction of medial edge epithelium (MEE) cell death and palatal fusion. Many of these experiments involved the addition or blockage of one of these growth factors in wild-type (WT) mouse palate cultures, where both TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(3) are present. Few studies have addressed the existence of interactions between TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(3), which could modify their individual roles in MEE cell death during palatal fusion. We carried out several experiments to test this possibility, and to investigate how this could influence TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(3) actions on MEE cell death and palatal shelf fusion. We double-immunolabelled developing mouse palates with anti-TGF-beta(1) or anti-TGF-beta(3) antibodies and TUNEL, added rhTGF-beta(1) or rhTGF-beta(3) or blocked the TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(3) action at different concentrations to WT or Tgf-beta(3) null mutant palate cultures, performed in situ hybridizations with Tgf-beta(1) or Tgf-beta(3) riboprobes, and measured the presence of TUNEL-positive midline epithelial seam (MES) cells and MES disappearance (palatal shelf fusion) in the different in vitro conditions. By combining all these experiments, we demonstrate great interaction between TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta(3) in the developing palate and confirm that TGF-beta(3) has a more active role in MES cell death than TGF-beta(1), although both are major inductors of MES disappearance. Finally, the co-localization of TGF-beta(1), but not TGF-beta(3), with TUNEL in the MES allows us to suggest a possible role for TGF-beta(1) in MES apoptotic clearance.