Studies in Mice May Offer Clues to Cleft Lip, Weill Cornell Medical College Study

The genetic repair of cleft lips in mice embryos could eventually lead to new ways to treat and prevent the birth defect in humans, U.S. researchers report. The scientists pinpointed the role of genes for specific proteins that coordinate cellular signaling behaviors that play a major role in the development of cleft lip and palate. Working with specially engineered mice, they also reported that altering one type of molecule within a specific signaling pathway can correct cleft lip and palate.