Fig 8. Schematic model of the odontogenic epithelial Sox2-positive cells-associated signaling pathways involved in lingual bud formation in maxillary incisors.

Runx2 prevents the differentiation and/or proliferation of odontogenic epithelial Sox2-positive cells. Runx2 is induced by BMP signaling independently of USAG-1, which also inhibits the formation of odontogenic epithelial Sox2-positive cells by acting as a BMP/Wnt antagonist. The orange spheres represent odontogenic epithelial Sox2-positive cells.