Fig 1: Smoc2+ cells are mesenchymal stem cells of mouse incisor mesenchyme at E16.5.a UMAP plot with annotations, b Feature plot of Smoc2, c Monocle analysis and d Velocity analysis of incisor mesenchyme at E16.5. e–k RNAscope staining of Smoc2 in WT incisors at different embryonic stages. Co-localization analysis of Smoc2 with Ki67 (j) and Sp7 (k) in the WT incisor at E16.5. White dotted lines outline incisor dental epithelium. Representative images from three independent experiments with similar results. Scale bars: 50 μm. l–q Lineage tracing analysis for mouse incisor at E16.5. l The tamoxifen induction protocol of lineage tracing experiments. m–q Lineage tracing analysis of Smoc2+ cells in the incisor mesenchyme at various time points after induction. White dotted lines outline cervical loop epithelium. White dotted boxes in (p, q) are enlarged (p’, q”). Scale bars: 100 μm in (m–q) and 50μm in (p’, q”). Representative images from three independent experiments with similar results. r Quantitative analysis of the contribution of Smoc2+ cells to different incisor mesenchymal compartments at various time points, calculated from sections obtained in experiments of the same type as shown in (m–q). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. n = 3 biological replicates. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.