Abstract
Glucocorticoid receptors have been localized immunocytochemically in the developing mouse secondary palatal shelves and in cultured human embryonic palatal mesenchyme cells. In the midgestation embryo, receptors are found in the highest concentration in the palatal mesenchymal cells, suggesting that they play a major role in normal development as well as in glucocorticoid-induced cleft palate. The presence of these receptors in cultured human embryonic palatal cells also suggests that development of the human secondary palate may be dependent on glucocorticoids.