Ophir Klein, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Center for Craniofacial Anomalies,
Department of Orofacial Sciences
School of Dentistry

Contact Information:
ophir.klein@ucsf.edu
Tel: (415) 476-4719
513 Parnassus Avenue
San Francisco, CA
94143-0442
Box 0442, S-534

Links:
Lab website
Biomedical Sciences Program

Developmental genetics of dental and craniofacial structures

Our research is centered on understanding and treating the processes underlying craniofacial and dental malformations, which are among the most common congenital abnormalities and have profound impacts on the lives of patients and their families. Our main focus is the use of mice as a genetic model system to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for normal and perturbed development of teeth, facial skeleton, taste papillae, and other organs. Specifically, we are interested in the role of growth factor signaling and cell-matrix interactions in the formation of orofacial structures, in the mineralization of bones, and in the regulation of adult stem cells in teeth.

Selected Publications

Klein OD, Cotter PD, Albertson DG, Pinkel D, Tidyman WE, Moore MW, Rauen KA. Prader-Willi syndrome resulting from an unbalanced translocation: characterization by array comparative genomic hybridization. Clin Genet 2004; 65:477-82.
Ahn CP, Lachman RS, Cox VA, Blumberg B, Klein OD . Brachydactylic multiple delta phalanges plus syndrome. Am J Med Genet A 2005; 138:41-4.

Klein OD, Cotter PD, Schmidt AM, Bick DP, Tidyman WE, Albertson DG, Pinkel D, Rauen KA. Interstitial deletion of chromosome 12q: Genotype-phenotype correlation of two patients utilizing array comparative genomic hybridization. Am J Med Genet A 2005; 138:349-54.

Klein OD, Minowada G, Peterkova R, Kangas A, Yu BD, Lesot H, Peterka M, Jernvall J, Martin GR. Sprouty genes control tooth number via bidirectional antagonism of epithelial-mesenchymal FGF signaling. Dev Cell 2006; 11:181-190.

Klein OD, Cotter PD, Moore MW, Zanko A, Gilats M, Epstein CJ, Conte F, Rauen KA. Interstitial deletions of chromosome 6q: genotype-phenotype correlation utilizing array CGH. Clin Genet 2007; 71: 260-6.

D'Souza RD and Klein OD. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms that lead to supernumerary teeth in mice and men: current concepts and novel approaches. Cells, Tissues, Organs 2007; 186: 60-9.

Klein, OD, Lyons, DB, Balooch, G, Marshall, GW, Basson, MA, Peterka, M, Boran, T, Peterkova, R, and Martin, GR. An FGF signaling loop sustains the generation of differentiated progeny from stem cells in mouse incisors. Development 2008; 135: 377-385.

Metzger, R., Klein, O. D., Martin, G. R. and Krasnow, M. The branching programme of mouse lung development. Nature 2008; 453: 745-750.

Boran, T., Peterkova, R., Lesot, H., Lyons, D., and Klein, O. D. Temporal analysis of enamel production in sprouty mutant incisors. Int J Dev Biol 2008; In press.

Peterkova, R., Churava, S., Lesot, H., Rothova, M., Prochazka, J., Peterka, M. and Klein, O. D. Revitalization of a diastemal tooth primordium in Spry2 null mice involves increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis. Int J Dev Biol 2008; In press.