Genetic cause of high-arched palate

Researchers at King's have revealed the genetic basis of high-arched palate in the mouth for the first time, a discovery that could pave the way for new treatments to reverse the condition. Published this week in Developmental Cell , an early study has shown that a particular gene in mice triggers an overproduction of neural crest cells (which generate a variety of important cell and tissue types in the body) whilst in the embryo, causing the roof of the mouth to be compressed into an arch shape. The development of high-arched palate is therefore believed to occur much earlier than previously thought. High-arched palate is associated with around 300 different conditions and can lead to a range of difficulties, including disrupted sleep caused by obstruction of the nasal passages, speech problems, and abnormalities in the head and neck. The condition is also associated with dental problems later in life, such as crowding of the molars. Patients with ciliopathies frequently have high-arched palate. Ciliopathies are genetic disorders of cilia, the small hair-like structures on the surface of human cells.