Epithelial breakdown in the palatal processes of mouse fetuses with spontaneous cleft lip and palate

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Abstract
Contact and fusion of the palatal processes are prevented by mechanical obstruction in A/J mice with spontaneous cleft lip and palate. Histological examination of cleft‐lip fetuses revealed a very thin epithelial covering on the tip of the palatal process at day 15 1/2 of gestation, when the palate normnlly undergoes fusion, but at day 16 the palatal epithelium was completely disrupted, exposing the underlying mesenchyme. This epithelial discontinuity lasted only one day — by day 17 epithelial continuity was reestablished. These findings support the hypothesis that contact between the palatal shelves is not a prerequisite for epithelial degeneration.