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Kort AE, Jones KE. Function of revolute zygapophyses in the lumbar vertebrae of early placental mammals. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:1918-1929. [PMID: 37712919 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The unique morphology of mammalian lumbar vertebrae allows the spine to flex and extend in the sagittal plane during locomotion. This movement increases stride length and allows mammals to efficiently breathe while running with an asymmetric gait. In extant mammals, the amount of flexion that occurs varies across different locomotor styles, with dorsostable runners relying more on movement of long limbs to run and dorsomobile runners incorporating more flexion of the back. Although long limbs and a stabilized lumbar region are commonly associated with each other in extant mammals, many "archaic" placental mammals with short limbs had lumbar vertebrae with revolute zygapophyses. These articulations with an interlocking S-shape are found only in artiodactyls among extant mammals and have been hypothesized to stabilize against flexion of the back. This would suggest that archaic placental mammals may not have incorporated dorsoventral flexion into locomotion to the same extent as extant mammals with similar proportions. We tested the relative mobility of fossil lumbar vertebrae from two early placental mammals, the creodonts Patriofelis and Limnocyon, to see how these vertebrae may have functioned. We compared range of motion (ROM) between the original vertebrae, with revolute morphology and digitally altered vertebrae with a flat morphology. We found that the revolute morphology had relatively little effect on dorsoventral flexion and instead that it likely prevented disarticulation due to shear forces on the spine. These results show that flexion of the spine has been an important part of mammalian locomotion for at least 50 million years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Kort
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Katrina E Jones
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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2
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Perolina E, Meissner S, Raos B, Harland B, Thakur S, Svirskis D. Translating ultrasound-mediated drug delivery technologies for CNS applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 208:115274. [PMID: 38452815 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Ultrasound enhances drug delivery into the central nervous system (CNS) by opening barriers between the blood and CNS and by triggering release of drugs from carriers. A key challenge in translating setups from in vitro to in vivo settings is achieving equivalent acoustic energy delivery. Multiple devices have now been demonstrated to focus ultrasound to the brain, with concepts emerging to also target the spinal cord. Clinical trials to date have used ultrasound to facilitate the opening of the blood-brain barrier. While most have focused on feasibility and safety considerations, therapeutic benefits are beginning to emerge. To advance translation of these technologies for CNS applications, researchers should standardise exposure protocol and fine-tune ultrasound parameters. Computational modelling should be increasingly used as a core component to develop both in vitro and in vivo setups for delivering accurate and reproducible ultrasound to the CNS. This field holds promise for transformative advancements in the management and pharmacological treatment of complex and challenging CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ederlyn Perolina
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Svenja Meissner
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Brad Raos
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Bruce Harland
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Sachin Thakur
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Darren Svirskis
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand.
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3
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Hamidi K, Matin MM, Pérez MJ, Kilpatrick CW, Darvish J. Postcranial skeleton of Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse (Calomyscus elburzensis Goodwin, 1939) (Rodentia: Calomyscidae): Shape, size, function, and locomotor adaptation. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 339:1059-1101. [PMID: 37698162 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse (Calomyscus elburzensis Goodwin, 1939) is a poorly known small rodent that occupies rocky habitats in Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Syria. Herein, a detailed description of the shape, size, and function of the postcranial skeleton of this species is presented for the first time. Trapping was carried out in eastern Iran between the years 2013 and 2015. Skeletal parts of 24 adult male specimens were removed using the papain digestion protocol, and several postcranial morphological characteristics and measurements were examined. We attempted to achieve a morpho-functional characterization of Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse and to match morphological specializations with previous information on the ecology, behavior, and phylogenetic inferences of this rodent. Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse has extended transverse processes and long zygapophyses in the first five caudal vertebrae along with a good innervation of the caudal vertebrae, which has resulted in a well-developed basal musculature of the tail. It has extended forelimb, long ilium, and short post-acetabular part of the innominate bone, loose hip joint with high degree of lateral movement of the hindlimb, and long distal elements of the hindlimb. These features have resulted in fast terrestrial movements in open microhabitats, including climbing and jumping. Although superficial scratching of the ground is observed, the species is incapable of digging burrows. Evaluation of postcranial morphological characteristics and character states further indicated the basal radiation of the genus Calomyscus among other Muroidea. Findings constitute a source of information for morpho-functional and phylogenetic comparisons between Calomyscidae and other mouse-like muroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kordiyeh Hamidi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Maryam M Matin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
- Novel Diagnostics and Therapeutics Research Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - M Julieta Pérez
- Instituto de Investigaciones de Biodiversidad Argentina (PIDBA) y Programa de Conservación de los Murciélagos de Argentina (PCMA), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | | | - Jamshid Darvish
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
- Research Group of Rodentology, Institute of Applied Zoology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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Esteban JM, Martín-Serra A, Pérez-Ramos A, Mulot B, Jones K, Figueirido B. The impact of the land-to-sea transition on evolutionary integration and modularity of the pinniped backbone. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1141. [PMID: 37949962 PMCID: PMC10638317 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05512-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigate how the terrestrial-aquatic transition influenced patterns of axial integration and modularity in response to the secondary adaptation to a marine lifestyle. We use 3D geometric morphometrics to quantify shape covariation among presacral vertebrae in pinnipeds (Carnivora; Pinnipedia) and to compare with patterns of axial integration and modularity in their close terrestrial relatives. Our results indicate that the vertebral column of pinnipeds has experienced a decrease in the strength of integration among all presacral vertebrae when compared to terrestrial carnivores (=fissipeds). However, separate integration analyses among the speciose Otariidae (i.e., sea lions and fur seals) and Phocidae (i.e., true seals) also suggests the presence of different axial organizations in these two groups of crown pinnipeds. While phocids present a set of integrated "thoracic" vertebrae, the presacral vertebrae of otariids are characterized by the absence of any set of vertebrae with high integration. We hypothesize that these differences could be linked to their specific modes of aquatic locomotion -i.e., pelvic vs pectoral oscillation. Our results provide evidence that the vertebral column of pinnipeds has been reorganized from the pattern observed in fissipeds but is more complex than a simple "homogenization" of the modular pattern of their close terrestrial relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Miguel Esteban
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain.
| | - Alberto Martín-Serra
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain
| | - Alejandro Pérez-Ramos
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain
| | - Baptiste Mulot
- ZooParc de Beauval & Beauval Nature, 41110, Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Katrina Jones
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Borja Figueirido
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain
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Merten LJF, Manafzadeh AR, Herbst EC, Amson E, Tambusso PS, Arnold P, Nyakatura JA. The functional significance of aberrant cervical counts in sloths: insights from automated exhaustive analysis of cervical range of motion. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231592. [PMID: 37909076 PMCID: PMC10618861 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Besides manatees, the suspensory extant 'tree sloths' are the only mammals that deviate from a cervical count (CC) of seven vertebrae. They do so in opposite directions in the two living genera (increased versus decreased CC). Aberrant CCs seemingly reflect neck mobility in both genera, suggesting adaptive significance for their head position during suspensory locomotion and especially increased ability for neck torsion in three-toed sloths. We test two hypotheses in a comparative evolutionary framework by assessing three-dimensional intervertebral range of motion (ROM) based on exhaustive automated detection of bone collisions and joint disarticulation while accounting for interacting rotations of roll, yaw and pitch. First, we hypothesize that the increase of CC also increases overall neck mobility compared with mammals with a regular CC, and vice versa. Second, we hypothesize that the anatomy of the intervertebral articulations determines mobility of the neck. The assessment revealed that CC plays only a secondary role in defining ROM since summed torsion (roll) capacity was primarily determined by vertebral anatomy. Our results thus suggest limited neck rotational adaptive significance of the CC aberration in sloths. Further, the study demonstrates the suitability of our automated approach for the comparative assessment of osteological ROM in vertebral series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa J. F. Merten
- Comparative Zoology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Philippstrasse 12/13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Armita R. Manafzadeh
- Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Eva C. Herbst
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH, University of Zurich, Hönggerbergring 64, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eli Amson
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - P. Sebastián Tambusso
- Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Patrick Arnold
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - John A. Nyakatura
- Comparative Zoology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, Philippstrasse 12/13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
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Wilke H, Betz VM, Kienle A. Biomechanical in vitro evaluation of the kangaroo spine in comparison with human spinal data. J Anat 2023; 243:128-137. [PMID: 36929138 PMCID: PMC10273331 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
On the basis of the kangaroo's pseudo-biped locomotion and its upright position, it could be assumed that the kangaroo might be an interesting model for spine research and that it may serve as a reasonable surrogate model for biomechanical in vitro tests. The purpose of this in vitro study was to provide biomechanical properties of the kangaroo spine and compare them with human spinal data from the literature. In addition, references to already published kangaroo anatomical spinal parameters will be discussed. Thirteen kangaroo spines from C4 to S4 were sectioned into single-motion segments. The specimens were tested by a spine tester under pure moments. The range of motion and neutral zone of each segment were determined in flexion and extension, right and left lateral bending and left and right axial rotation. Overall, we found greater flexibility in the kangaroo spine compared to the human spine. Similarities were only found in the cervical, lower thoracic and lumbar spinal regions. The range of motion of the kangaroo and human spines displayed comparable trends in the cervical (C4-C7), lower thoracic and lumbar regions independent of the motion plane. In the upper and middle thoracic regions, the flexibility of the kangaroo spine was considerably larger. These results suggested that the kangaroo specimens could be considered to be a surrogate, but only in particular cases, for biomechanical in vitro tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans‐Joachim Wilke
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and BiomechanicsTrauma Research Centre Ulm, University of UlmUlmGermany
| | - Volker Michael Betz
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and BiomechanicsTrauma Research Centre Ulm, University of UlmUlmGermany
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Delsmann J, Schmidt B, Oheim R, Amling M, Rolvien T, Siebert U. Bone mineral density and microarchitecture change during skeletal growth in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from the German coast. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7196. [PMID: 37137898 PMCID: PMC10156659 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33911-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Across species, the skeletal system shares mutual functions, including the protection of inner organs, structural basis for locomotion, and acting as an endocrine organ, thus being of pivotal importance for survival. However, insights into skeletal characteristics of marine mammals are limited, especially in the growing skeleton. Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are common marine mammals in the North and Baltic Seas and are suitable indicators of the condition of their ecosystem. Here, we analyzed whole-body areal bone mineral density (aBMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and lumbar vertebrae by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) in neonate, juvenile, and adult harbor seals. Along skeletal growth, an increase in two-dimensional aBMD by DXA was paralleled by three-dimensional volumetric BMD by HR-pQCT, which could be attributed to an increasing trabecular thickness while trabecular number remained constant. Strong associations were observed between body dimensions (weight and length) and aBMD and trabecular microarchitecture (R2 = 0.71-0.92, all p < 0.001). To validate the results of the DXA measurement (i.e., the standard method used worldwide to diagnose osteoporosis in humans), we performed linear regression analyses with the three-dimensional measurements from the HR-pQCT method, which revealed strong associations between the two imaging techniques (e.g., aBMD and Tb.Th: R2 = 0.96, p < 0.0001). Taken together, our findings highlight the importance of systematic skeletal investigations in marine mammals during growth, illustrating the high accuracy of DXA in this context. Regardless of the limited sample size, the observed trabecular thickening is likely to represent a distinct pattern of vertebral bone maturation. As differences in nutritional status, among other factors, are likely to affect skeletal health, it appears essential to routinely perform skeletal assessments in marine mammals. Placing the results in the context of environmental exposures may allow effective measures to protect their populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Delsmann
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
- Division of Orthopedics, Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Britta Schmidt
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstr. 6, 25746, Büsum, Germany
| | - Ralf Oheim
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Amling
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Lottestr. 59, 22529, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Rolvien
- Division of Orthopedics, Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstr. 6, 25746, Büsum, Germany.
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Radiological Investigation of Guinea Pig ( Cavia porcellus) Lumbar Vertebral Morphology ‒ A Biomechanical Aspect. ACTA VET-BEOGRAD 2023. [DOI: 10.2478/acve-2023-0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Numerous studies are based on the use of animal models; however, in bipedal and tetrapedal organisms there are significant differences in the biomechanics of the spinal column, which can significantly impair the quality and applicability of the results obtained. The aim of this study is to obtain basic data on the morphometric parameters of guinea pig lumbar vertebrae, the analysis of which will indicate the location of the biggest mechanical load. The lumbar vertebra morphometry test was performed by means of X-ray imageing obtained from 12 guinea pigs, with equal numbers of males and females. The results of investigations show that guinea pig lumbar vertebrae have an irregular trapezoid geometry and that the measured body lengths of L4 and L5 are the largest. The height parameters determined in the medial level showed that L4 had the most concave body. Moreover, L4 had the greatest depth of the spinal canal at the same measurement level. Consequently, in guinea pigs, the greatest load is in the L4 region, unlike in humans, where, due to the axial load of the spinal column, the highest pressure is exerted on the last lumbar vertebrae.
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Linden TJ, Burtner AE, Rickman J, McFeely A, Santana SE, Law CJ. Scaling patterns of body plans differ among squirrel ecotypes. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14800. [PMID: 36718452 PMCID: PMC9884040 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Body size is often hypothesized to facilitate or constrain morphological diversity in the cranial, appendicular, and axial skeletons. However, how overall body shape scales with body size (i.e., body shape allometry) and whether these scaling patterns differ between ecological groups remains poorly investigated. Here, we test whether and how the relationships between body shape, body size, and limb lengths differ among species with different locomotor specializations, and describe the underlying morphological components that contribute to body shape evolution among squirrel (Sciuridae) ecotypes. We quantified the body size and shape of 87 squirrel species from osteological specimens held at museum collections. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we first found that body shape and its underlying morphological components scale allometrically with body size, but these allometric patterns differ among squirrel ecotypes: chipmunks and gliding squirrels exhibited more elongate bodies with increasing body sizes whereas ground squirrels exhibited more robust bodies with increasing body size. Second, we found that only ground squirrels exhibit a relationship between forelimb length and body shape, where more elongate species exhibit relatively shorter forelimbs. Third, we found that the relative length of the ribs and elongation or shortening of the thoracic region contributes the most to body shape evolution across squirrels. Overall, our work contributes to the growing understanding of mammalian body shape evolution and how it is influenced by body size and locomotor ecology, in this case from robust subterranean to gracile gliding squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tate J. Linden
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | | | | | - Annika McFeely
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | | | - Chris J. Law
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America,University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America,American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
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Ruebenstahl AA, Klein MD, Yi H, Xu X, Clark JM. Anatomy and relationships of the early diverging Crocodylomorphs Junggarsuchus sloani and Dibothrosuchus elaphros. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022; 305:2463-2556. [PMID: 35699105 PMCID: PMC9541040 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The holotype of Junggarsuchus sloani, from the Shishugou Formation (early Late Jurassic) of Xinjiang, China, consists of a nearly complete skull and the anterior half of an articulated skeleton, including the pectoral girdles, nearly complete forelimbs, vertebral column, and ribs. Here, we describe its anatomy and compare it to other early diverging crocodylomorphs, based in part on CT scans of its skull and that of Dibothrosuchus elaphros from the Early Jurassic of China. Junggarsuchus shares many features with a cursorial assemblage of crocodylomorphs, informally known as "sphenosuchians," whose relationships are poorly understood. However, it also displays several derived crocodyliform features that are not found among most "sphenosuchians." Our phylogenetic analysis corroborates the hypothesis that Junggarsuchus is closer to Crocodyliformes, including living crocodylians, than are Dibothrosuchus and Sphenosuchus, but not as close to crocodyliforms as Almadasuchus and Macelognathus, and that the "Sphenosuchia" are a paraphyletic assemblage. D. elaphros and Sphenosuchus acutus are hypothesized to be more closely related to Crocodyliformes than are the remaining non-crocodyliform crocodylomorphs, which form several smaller groups but are largely unresolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A. Ruebenstahl
- Department of Biological SciencesGeorge Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA,Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | | | - Hongyu Yi
- Key Laboratory for the Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrates of the Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Vertebrate Paleontology and PaleoanthropologyBeijingChina,CAS Center of Excellence in Life and PaleoenvironmentBeijingChina
| | - Xing Xu
- Key Laboratory for the Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrates of the Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Vertebrate Paleontology and PaleoanthropologyBeijingChina,CAS Center of Excellence in Life and PaleoenvironmentBeijingChina
| | - James M. Clark
- Department of Biological SciencesGeorge Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
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11
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Effects of spinal structure on quadruped bounding gait. ROBOTICA 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0263574722000674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
This paper proposes a robot model with multiple spines and investigates its effects on the bounding gait of quadruped robot. Contrastive tests, carried out by adding an active driving joint (ADJ) and changing the number of passive driving joints, were divided between simulation and physical. The results reveal that the spinal structure (one ADJ and several passive driving joints) is closely related to the performance parameters. Increasing the number of passive driving joints can improve the velocity and energy efficiency. This structure may have significant guidance for designing a quadruped robot.
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12
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Smith SM, Angielczyk KD. A Shrewd Inspection of Vertebral Regionalization in Large Shrews (Soricidae: Crocidurinae). Integr Org Biol 2022; 4:obac006. [PMID: 35291671 PMCID: PMC8915212 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obac006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The regionalization of the mammalian spinal column is an important evolutionary, developmental, and functional hallmark of the clade. Vertebral column regions are usually defined using transitions in external bone morphology, such as the presence of transverse foraminae or rib facets, or measurements of vertebral shape. Yet the internal structure of vertebrae, specifically the trabecular (spongy) bone, plays an important role in vertebral function, and is subject to the same variety of selective, functional, and developmental influences as external bone morphology. Here, we investigated regionalization of external and trabecular bone morphology in the vertebral column of a group of shrews (family Soricidae). The primary goals of this study were to: (1) determine if vertebral trabecular bone morphology is regionalized in large shrews, and if so, in what configuration relative to external morphology; (2) assess correlations between trabecular bone regionalization and functional or developmental influences; and (3) determine if external and trabecular bone regionalization patterns provide clues about the function of the highly modified spinal column of the hero shrew Scutisorex. Trabecular bone is regionalized along the soricid vertebral column, but the configuration of trabecular bone regions does not match that of the external vertebral morphology, and is less consistent across individuals and species. The cervical region has the most distinct and consistent trabecular bone morphology, with dense trabeculae indicative of the ability to withstand forces in a variety of directions. Scutisorex exhibits an additional external morphology region compared to unmodified shrews, but this region does not correspond to a change in trabecular architecture. Although trabecular bone architecture is regionalized along the soricid vertebral column, and this regionalization is potentially related to bone functional adaptation, there are likely aspects of vertebral functional regionalization that are not detectable using trabecular bone morphology. For example, the external morphology of the Scutisorex lumbar spine shows signs of an extra functional region that is not apparent in trabecular bone analyses. It is possible that body size and locomotor mode affect the degree to which function is manifest in trabecular bone, and broader study across mammalian size and ecology is warranted to understand the relationship between trabecular bone morphology and other measures of vertebral function such as intervertebral range of motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Smith
- Field Museum of Natural History, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL 60605, USA
| | - Kenneth D Angielczyk
- Field Museum of Natural History, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL 60605, USA
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13
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Ingle DN, Porter ME. Vertebral trabecular bone mechanical properties vary among functional groups of cetaceans. Integr Org Biol 2022; 4:obab036. [PMID: 35155991 PMCID: PMC8832228 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since their appearance in the fossil record 34 million years ago, modern cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) have radiated into diverse habitats circumglobally, developing vast phenotypic variations among species. Traits such as skeletal morphology and ecologically linked behaviors denote swimming activity; trade-offs in flexibility and rigidity along the vertebral column determine patterns of caudal oscillation. Here, we categorized 10 species of cetaceans (families Delphinidae and Kogiidae; N = 21 animals) into functional groups based on vertebral centra morphology, swimming speeds, diving behavior, and inferred swimming patterns. We quantified trabecular bone mechanical properties (yield strength, apparent stiffness, and resilience) among functional groups and regions of the vertebral column (thoracic, lumbar, and caudal). We extracted 6 mm3 samples from vertebral bodies and tested them in compression in 3 orientations (rostrocaudal, dorsoventral, and mediolateral) at 2 mm min−1. Overall, bone from the pre-fluke/fluke boundary had the greatest yield strength and resilience, indicating that the greatest forces are translated to the tail during caudal oscillatory swimming. Group 1, composed of 5 shallow-diving delphinid species, had the greatest vertebral trabecular bone yield strength, apparent stiffness, and resilience of all functional groups. Conversely, Group 3, composed of 2 deep-diving kogiid species, had the least strong, stiff, and resilient bone, while Group 2 (3 deep-diving delphinid species) exhibited intermediate values. These data suggest that species that incorporate prolonged glides during deep descents in the water column actively swim less, and place relatively smaller loads on their vertebral columns, compared with species that execute shallower dives. We found that cetacean vertebral trabecular bone properties differed from the properties of terrestrial mammals; for every given bone strength, cetacean bone was less stiff by comparison. This relative lack of material rigidity within vertebral bone may be attributed to the non-weight-bearing locomotor modes of fully aquatic mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- D N Ingle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77554
| | - M E Porter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
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14
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Oliver JD, Jones KE, Pierce SE, Hautier L. Size and shape regional differentiation during the development of the spine in the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Evol Dev 2021; 23:496-512. [PMID: 34813149 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Xenarthrans (armadillos, anteaters, sloths, and their extinct relatives) are unique among mammals in displaying a distinctive specialization of the posterior trunk vertebrae-supernumerary vertebral xenarthrous articulations. This study seeks to understand how xenarthry develops through ontogeny and if it may be constrained to appear within pre-existing vertebral regions. Using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on the neural arches of vertebrae, we explore phenotypic, allometric, and disparity patterns of the different axial morphotypes during the ontogeny of nine-banded armadillos. Shape-based regionalization analyses showed that the adult thoracolumbar column is divided into three regions according to the presence or absence of ribs and the presence or absence of xenarthrous articulations. A three-region division was retrieved in almost all specimens through development, although younger stages (e.g., fetuses, neonates) have more region boundary variability. In size-based regionalization analyses, thoracolumbar vertebrae are separated into two regions: a prediaphragmatic, prexenarthrous region, and a postdiaphragmatic xenarthrous region. We show that posterior thoracic vertebrae grow at a slower rate, while anterior thoracics and lumbars grow at a faster rate relatively, with rates decreasing anteroposteriorly in the former and increasing anteroposteriorly in the latter. We propose that different proportions between vertebrae and vertebral regions might result from differences in growth pattern and timing of ossification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian D Oliver
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katrina E Jones
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
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15
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Brendler J, Winter K, Lochhead P, Schulz A, Ricken AM. Histological differences between lumbar and tail intervertebral discs in mice. J Anat 2021; 240:84-93. [PMID: 34427936 PMCID: PMC8655214 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Both the lumbar and tail intervertebral discs (IVD) of mice serve as models for the pathogenesis and histologic progression of degenerative disc disease. Recent studies in mature mice, however, demonstrate that the mechanics and physical attributes of lumbar and tail IVD‐endplate (EP)‐interfaces are strikingly different. We hypothesized that these structural disparities are associated with differences in the composition and organization of soft tissue elements that influence the biomechanical properties of the spine. Lumbar and tail vertebral segments and discs were collected from the same C57BL/6N and C57BL/6JRj mice, respectively for histological comparison of coronal sections at the ages of 4 weeks (weaned, both strains, C57BL/6N: n = 7; C57BL/6JRj: n = 4), three (mature, C57BL/6N: n = 7; C57BL/6JRj: n = 4), twelve (middle aged, C57BL/6JRj only: n = 3) and eighteen (old, C57BL/6JRj only: n = 3) months old. The histology of lumbar and tail IVD‐EP‐interfaces of mature mice differed markedly. The lumbar IVD‐EP‐interphase was characterized by a broad cartilaginous EP, while the tail IVD‐EP‐interphase comprised a thin layer of cartilage cells adjacent to a broad bony layer abutting the vertebral growth plate. Furthermore, the composition of the nuclei pulposi (NP) of lumbar and tail IVD in mature mice differed greatly. Lumbar NP consisted of a compact cluster of mainly large, uni‐vacuolated cells centered in an amorphous matrix, while tail NP were composed of a loose aggregate of vacuolated and non‐vacuolated cells. The anuli fibrosi also differed, with more abundant and sharply defined lamellae in tail compared to lumbar discs. The observed histological differences in the EP were even most prominent in weaned mice but were still discernible in middle‐aged and old mice. An appreciation of the histological differences between lumbar and tail IVD components in mice, including nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and endplates, is essential to our understanding of spinal biomechanics in these animals and should inform the design and interpretation of future IVD‐studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paul Lochhead
- Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Angela Schulz
- Rudolf-Schönheimer-Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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16
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Boonsri B, Nganvongpanit K, Buddhachat K, Punyapornwithaya V, Kongtueng P, Kaewmong P, Kittiwattanawong K. Morphometric analysis of cervical vertebrae in some marine and land mammals. Anat Histol Embryol 2021; 50:812-825. [PMID: 34272750 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bones or skeletal remains can be used to answer a number of questions related to species, sex, age or cause of death. However, studies involving vertebrae have been limited as most were performed on skulls or long bones. Here, we have stated the hypothesis that the morphometry of cervical vertebrae can be used for species identification and body size estimation among marine and land mammals. The cervical vertebrae from eight and 14 species of marine and land mammals were used to collect morphometric data. Cluster dendrogram, principal component analysis, discriminant analysis and linear regression were used to analyse the data. The results indicate that, based on an index of C4 to C7, there were 13 out of 22 species for which identity could be correctly predicted in 100% of the cases. The correlations between cervical vertebrae parameters (height, width and length of centrum) in marine (average R2 = 0.87, p < .01) and land (average R2 = 0.51, p < .01) mammals were observed. These results indicate that vertebral morphometrics could be used for species prediction and verification of body weight in both marine and land mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burin Boonsri
- Department of Companion Animals and Wildlife Clinics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Korakot Nganvongpanit
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.,Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Kittisak Buddhachat
- Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Veerasak Punyapornwithaya
- Department of Food Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Piyamat Kongtueng
- Central Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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17
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Abstract
AbstractMorphological diversity is often attributed as adaptations to distinct ecologies. Although biologists have long hypothesized that distinct ecologies drive the evolution of body shape, these relationships are rarely tested across macroevolutionary scales in mammals. Here, I tested hypotheses that locomotor, hunting, and dietary ecologies influenced body shape evolution in carnivorans, a morphologically and ecologically diverse clade of mammals. I found that adaptive models with ecological trait regimes were poor predictors of carnivoran body shape and the underlying morphological components that contribute to body shape variation. Instead, the best-supported model exhibited clade-based evolutionary shifts, indicating that the complexity and variation of body shape landscape cannot be effectively captured by a priori ecological regimes. However, ecological adaptations of body shapes cannot be ruled out, as aquatic and terrestrial carnivorans exhibited opposite allometric patterns of body shape that may be driven by different gravitational constraints associated with these different environments. Similar to body size, body shape is a prominent feature of vertebrate morphology that may transcend one-to-one mapping relationships between morphology and ecological traits, enabling species with distinct body shapes to exploit similar resources and exhibit similar ecologies. Together, these results demonstrate that the multidimensionality of both body shape morphology and ecology makes it difficult to disentangle the complex relationship among morphological evolution, ecological diversity, and phylogeny across macroevolutionary scales.
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18
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Carter AM, Hsieh ST, Dodson P, Sallan L. Early amphibians evolved distinct vertebrae for habitat invasions. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251983. [PMID: 34106947 PMCID: PMC8189462 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Living tetrapods owe their existence to a critical moment 360-340 million years ago when their ancestors walked on land. Vertebrae are central to locomotion, yet systematic testing of correlations between vertebral form and terrestriality and subsequent reinvasions of aquatic habitats is lacking, obscuring our understanding of movement capabilities in early tetrapods. Here, we quantified vertebral shape across a diverse group of Paleozoic amphibians (Temnospondyli) encompassing different habitats and nearly the full range of early tetrapod vertebral shapes. We demonstrate that temnospondyls were likely ancestrally terrestrial and had several early reinvasions of aquatic habitats. We find a greater diversity in temnospondyl vertebrae than previously known. We also overturn long-held hypotheses centered on weight-bearing, showing that neural arch features, including muscle attachment, were plastic across the water-land divide and do not provide a clear signal of habitat preferences. In contrast, intercentra traits were critical, with temnospondyls repeatedly converging on distinct forms in terrestrial and aquatic taxa, with little overlap between. Through our geometric morphometric study, we have been able to document associations between vertebral shape and environmental preferences in Paleozoic tetrapods and to reveal morphological constraints imposed by vertebrae to locomotion, independent of ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aja Mia Carter
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - S. Tonia Hsieh
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Peter Dodson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Lauren Sallan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
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19
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Martín-Serra A, Pérez-Ramos A, Pastor FJ, Velasco D, Figueirido B. Phenotypic integration in the carnivoran backbone and the evolution of functional differentiation in metameric structures. Evol Lett 2021; 5:251-264. [PMID: 34136273 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Explaining the origin and evolution of a vertebral column with anatomically distinct regions that characterizes the tetrapod body plan provides understanding of how metameric structures become repeated and how they acquire the ability to perform different functions. However, despite many decades of inquiry, the advantages and costs of vertebral column regionalization in anatomically distinct blocks, their functional specialization, and how they channel new evolutionary outcomes are poorly understood. Here, we investigate morphological integration (and how this integration is structured [modularity]) between all the presacral vertebrae of mammalian carnivorans to provide a better understanding of how regionalization in metameric structures evolves. Our results demonstrate that the subunits of the presacral column are highly integrated. However, underlying to this general pattern, three sets of vertebrae are recognized as presacral modules-the cervical module, the anterodorsal module, and the posterodorsal module-as well as one weakly integrated vertebra (diaphragmatic) that forms a transition between both dorsal modules. We hypothesize that the strength of integration organizing the axial system into modules may be associated with motion capability. The highly integrated anterior dorsal module coincides with a region with motion constraints to avoid compromising ventilation, whereas for the posterior dorsal region motion constraints avoid exceeding extension of the posterior back. On the other hand, the weakly integrated diaphragmatic vertebra belongs to the "Diaphragmatic joint complex"-a key region of the mammalian column of exceedingly permissive motion. Our results also demonstrate that these modules do not match with the traditional morphological regions, and we propose natural selection as the main factor shaping this pattern to stabilize some regions and to allow coordinate movements in others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Martín-Serra
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Málaga 29071 Spain
| | - Alejandro Pérez-Ramos
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Málaga 29071 Spain
| | - Francisco J Pastor
- Departmento de Anatomía y Radiología, Museo de Anatomía Universidad de Valladolid Valladolid 47002 Spain
| | - David Velasco
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Málaga 29071 Spain
| | - Borja Figueirido
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Málaga 29071 Spain
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20
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Netto TFDS, Tavares WC. Historical, allometric and ecological effects on the shape of the lumbar vertebrae of spiny rats (Rodentia: Echimyidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In mammals, the lumbar vertebrae are important for sustaining the trunk, for allowing the trunk to flex and extend, and, during locomotion, for transferring forces from the sacroiliac region to the anterior region of the body. The Echimyidae is a group that comprises spiny rats, the coypu and hutias. It is the caviomorph rodent family with the greatest ecological diversity and species richness, as well as having a wide variation in body mass. Thus, echimyid rodents provide a promising model for understanding how phylogenetic, allometric and ecological factors associated with locomotion affect the evolution of the post-cranial skeleton. To assess the effect of these three factors on the morphology of the lumbar vertebrae, the penultimate lumbar vertebra of 26 echimyid species was photographed under five views and submitted to phylogenetically informed comparative analysis using 2D geometric morphometrics. Vertebral shape variation showed a low correlation with body mass and vertebral size, and a low to moderate phylogenetic signal. Remarkably, locomotory habit had a strong influence on lumbar morphology, particularly when analysed in lateral view. Our results indicate that the echimyid penultimate lumbar vertebra is potentially useful for future ecomorphological studies on living and fossil small mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Furtado Da Silva Netto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biologia, CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, S/N, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Laboratório de Mastozoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, S/N, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - William Corrêa Tavares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biologia, CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, S/N, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Laboratório de Mastozoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, S/N, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Campus Duque de Caxias Professor Geraldo Cidade, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rodovia Washington Luiz, Km 104,5, Santa Cruz da Serra, Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil
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21
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Jones KE, Dickson BV, Angielczyk KD, Pierce SE. Adaptive landscapes challenge the "lateral-to-sagittal" paradigm for mammalian vertebral evolution. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1883-1892.e7. [PMID: 33657406 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of mammals from their extinct forerunners, the non-mammalian synapsids, is one of the most iconic locomotor transitions in the vertebrate fossil record. In the limb skeleton, the synapsid-mammal transition is traditionally characterized by a shift from a sprawling limb posture, resembling that of extant reptiles and amphibians, to more adducted limbs, as seen in modern-day mammals. Based on proposed postural similarities between early synapsids and extant reptiles, this change is thought to be accompanied by a shift from ancestral reptile-like lateral bending to mammal-like sagittal bending of the vertebral column. To test this "lateral-to-sagittal" evolutionary paradigm, we used combinatorial optimization to produce functionally informed adaptive landscapes and determined the functional trade-offs associated with evolutionary changes in vertebral morphology. We show that the synapsid adaptive landscape is different from both extant reptiles and mammals, casting doubt on the reptilian model for early synapsid axial function, or indeed for the ancestral condition of amniotes more broadly. Further, the synapsid-mammal transition is characterized by not only increasing sagittal bending in the posterior column but also high stiffness and increasing axial twisting in the anterior column. Therefore, we refute the simplistic lateral-to-sagittal hypothesis and instead suggest the synapsid-mammal locomotor transition involved a more complex suite of functional changes linked to increasing regionalization of the backbone. These results highlight the importance of fossil taxa for understanding major evolutionary transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina E Jones
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Blake V Dickson
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Biological Sciences Building, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Kenneth D Angielczyk
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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22
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Law CJ. Evolutionary and morphological patterns underlying carnivoran body shape diversity. Evolution 2020; 75:365-375. [PMID: 33314085 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The diversity of body shapes is one of the most prominent features of phenotypic variation in vertebrates. Biologists, however, still lack a full understanding of the underlying morphological components that contribute to its diversity, particularly in endothermic vertebrates such as mammals. In this study, hypotheses pertaining to the evolution of the cranial and axial components that contribute to the diversity of carnivoran body shapes were tested. Three trends were found in the evolution of carnivoran body shapes: (1) carnivorans exhibit diverse body shapes with intrafamilial variation predicted best by family clade age, (2) body shape is driven by strong allometric effects of body size where species become more elongate with decreasing size, and (3) the thoracic and lumbar regions and rib length contribute the most to body shape variation, albeit pathways differ between different families. These results reveal the morphological patterns that led to increased diversity in carnivoran body shapes and elucidate the similarities and dissimilarities that govern body shape diversity across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Law
- Department of Mammalogy and Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024.,Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105
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23
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Norbertczak HT, Ingham E, Fermor HL, Wilcox RK. Decellularized Intervertebral Discs: A Potential Replacement for Degenerate Human Discs. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2020; 26:565-576. [PMID: 33050844 PMCID: PMC7698987 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2020.0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a major cause of back pain. Current surgical interventions have limitations. An alternative approach is to replace degenerated IVDs with a natural biological scaffold. The removal of cellular components from human IVDs should render them nonimmunogenic upon implantation. The aim of this initial proof of technical feasibility study was to develop a decellularization protocol on bovine IVDs with endplates (EPs) and assess protocol performance before application of the protocol to human IVDs with attached EP and vertebral bone (VB). A decellularization protocol based on hypotonic low concentration sodium dodecyl sulfate (0.1% w/v) with proteinase inhibitors, freeze/thaw cycles, and nuclease and sonication treatments was applied to IVDs. Histological, biochemical, and biomechanical comparisons were made between cellular and decellularized tissue. Cell removal from bovine IVDs was demonstrated and total DNA levels of the decellularized inner annulus fibrosus (iAF), outer annulus fibrosus (oAF), and EP were 40.7 (±11.4), 25.9 (±3.8), and 29.3 (±3.1) ng.mg−1 dry tissue weight, respectively (n = 6, ±95% confidence level [CL]). These values were significantly lower than in cellular tissue. No significant difference in DNA levels between bovine cellular and decellularized nucleus pulposus (NP) was found. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were largely retained in the NP, iAF, and oAF. Cyclic compression testing showed sufficient sensitivity to detect an increase in stiffness of bovine IVD postdecellularization (2957.2 ± 340.8 N.mm−1) (predecellularization: 2685.4 ± 263.1 N.mm−1; n = 5, 95% CL), but the difference was within natural tissue variation. Total DNA levels for all decellularized tissue regions of human IVDs (NP, iAF, oAF, EP, and VB) were below 50 ng.mg−1 dry tissue weight (range: 2 ng.mg−1, iAF to 29 ng.mg−1, VB) and the tissue retained high levels of GAGs. Further studies to assess the biocompatibility and regenerative potential of decellularized human IVDs in vitro and in vivo are now required; however, proof of technical feasibility has been demonstrated and the retention of bone in the IVD samples would allow incorporation of the tissue into the recipient spine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halina T Norbertczak
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Eileen Ingham
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Hazel L Fermor
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth K Wilcox
- Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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24
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Wilke HJ, Betz VM, Kienle A. Morphometry of the kangaroo spine and its comparison with human spinal data. J Anat 2020; 238:626-642. [PMID: 33025596 PMCID: PMC7855064 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The upright posture of the kangaroo suggests that the spine of the kangaroo could be a possible substitute model for biomechanical studies of the human spine. A prerequisite for this should be the agreement of anatomy in humans and kangaroos. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anatomical parameters of the kangaroo spine from C4 to S4 and compare them with existing anatomical data of the human spine. Eight complete spines of the red giant kangaroo were obtained and 21 anatomical parameters were measured from the vertebral bodies, spinal canal, endplate, pedicles, intervertebral discs, transverse, and spinous processes. Most similarities between kangaroo and human spines were found for the vertebral bodies in the cervical and the lumbar spine. The largest differences were evident for the spinous processes. Although both species are somehow upright, these differences may be explained by the way how they move. Jumping probably requires more muscle strength than walking on two legs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Joachim Wilke
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Trauma Research Centre Ulm, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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25
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Kinoshita Y, Goto R, Nakano Y, Hirasaki E. A comparison of axial trunk rotation during bipedal walking between humans and Japanese macaques. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:66-75. [PMID: 32860450 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Human walking involves out-of-phase axial rotations of the thorax and pelvis. It has long been believed that this rotational capability is a distinctive feature of the genus Homo. However, Thompson et al. (2015) showed that chimpanzees also counter-rotate their thorax relative to the pelvis during bipedal walking, which raised questions regarding the origins and development of this characteristic. In this study, we measured the axial rotation of the trunk during bipedal walking in humans and macaques to investigate if intra-trunk axial rotations are observed in non-hominoid primate species. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected three-dimensional trunk kinematic data during bipedal walking in six humans and five Japanese macaques. The human subjects walked on a treadmill, and the animal subjects walked on a 5-m runway. During walking, the positions of cluster markers, which defined trunk segments, were recorded by multiple video cameras. Segmental xyz coordinates were digitized, and transverse rotations were calculated using motion analysis software. RESULTS Although trunk rotations in the global coordinate system were greater in macaques than in humans, the intra-trunk rotation and range of motion showed a similar pattern in the two species. CONCLUSIONS Thoracic rotation relative to the pelvis during bipedal walking is not unique to the hominid lineage but rather a characteristic generated by the mechanical requirements of bipedal walking. The fact that the range of motion of counter rotation is similar in these species infers that an optimal range of rotation exists for bipedal walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kinoshita
- Section of Evolutionary Morphology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Goto
- Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Nakano
- Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eishi Hirasaki
- Section of Evolutionary Morphology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
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Ingle DN, Porter ME. Developmental changes in bone mechanics from Florida manatees ( Trichechus manatus latirostris), obligate swimming mammals. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb213009. [PMID: 32098877 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.213009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Mammals living in aquatic environments load their axial skeletons differently from their terrestrial counterparts. The structure and mechanical behavior of trabecular bone can be especially indicative of varying habitual forces. Here, we investigated vertebral trabecular bone mechanical properties (yield strength, stiffness and toughness) throughout development in Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris), obligate undulatory swimmers. Thoracic, lumbar and caudal vertebrae were dissected from manatees (N=20) during necropsies. We extracted 6 mm3 samples from vertebral bodies and tested them in compression in three orientations (rostrocaudal, dorsoventral and mediolateral) at 2 mm min-1 We determined variation in mechanical properties between sexes, and among developmental stages, vertebral regions and testing orientations. We also investigated the relationships between vertebral process lengths and properties of dorsoventrally and mediolaterally tested bone. Rostrocaudally tested bone was the strongest, stiffest and toughest, suggesting that this is the principal direction of stress. Our results showed that bone from female subadults was stronger and stiffer than that of their male counterparts; based on these data, we hypothesize that hormonal shifts at sexual maturity may partially drive these differences. In calves, bone from the posterior region was stronger and tougher than that from the anterior region. We hypothesize that as animals grow rapidly throughout early development, bone in the posterior region would be the most ossified to support the rostrocaudal force propagation associated with undulatory swimming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle N Ingle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Marianne E Porter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
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Plomp KA, Dobney K, Weston DA, Strand Viðarsdóttir U, Collard M. 3D shape analyses of extant primate and fossil hominin vertebrae support the ancestral shape hypothesis for intervertebral disc herniation. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:226. [PMID: 31842740 PMCID: PMC6916256 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1550-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently we proposed an evolutionary explanation for a spinal pathology that afflicts many people, intervertebral disc herniation (Plomp et al. [2015] BMC Evolutionary Biology 15, 68). Using 2D data, we found that the bodies and pedicles of lower vertebrae of pathological humans were more similar in shape to those of chimpanzees than were those of healthy humans. Based on this, we hypothesized that some individuals are more prone to intervertebral disc herniation because their vertebrae exhibit ancestral traits and therefore are less well adapted for the stresses associated with bipedalism. Here, we report a study in which we tested this "Ancestral Shape Hypothesis" with 3D data from the last two thoracic and first lumbar vertebrae of pathological Homo sapiens, healthy H. sapiens, Pan troglodytes, and several extinct hominins. RESULTS We found that the pathological and healthy H. sapiens vertebrae differed significantly in shape, and that the pathological H. sapiens vertebrae were closer in shape to the P. troglodytes vertebrae than were the healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. Additionally, we found that the pathological human vertebrae were generally more similar in shape to the vertebrae of the extinct hominins than were the healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. These results are consistent with the predictions of the Ancestral Shape Hypothesis. Several vertebral traits were associated with disc herniation, including a vertebral body that is both more circular and more ventrally wedged, relatively short pedicles and laminae, relatively long, more cranio-laterally projecting transverse processes, and relatively long, cranially-oriented spinous processes. We found that there are biomechanical and comparative anatomical reasons for suspecting that all of these traits are capable of predisposing individuals to intervertebral disc herniation. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study add weight to the hypothesis that intervertebral disc herniation in H. sapiens is connected with vertebral shape. Specifically, they suggest that individuals whose vertebrae are towards the ancestral end of the range of shape variation within H. sapiens have a greater propensity to develop the condition than other individuals. More generally, the study shows that evolutionary thinking has the potential to shed new light on human skeletal pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Plomp
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.,Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.,Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.,Department of Archaeology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, St Mary's, Elphinstone Road, Scotland, UK, AB24 3UF, Aberdeen
| | - Darlene A Weston
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 6303 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Una Strand Viðarsdóttir
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Læknagarður, Vatnsmýrarvegi 16, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Mark Collard
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Plomp K, Viðarsdóttir US, Dobney K, Weston D, Collard M. Potential adaptations for bipedalism in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of Homo sapiens: A 3D comparative analysis. J Hum Evol 2019; 137:102693. [PMID: 31711026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A number of putative adaptations for bipedalism have been identified in the hominin spine. However, it is possible that some have been overlooked because only a few studies have used 3D and these studies have focused on cervical vertebrae. With this in mind, we used geometric morphometric techniques to compare the 3D shapes of three thoracic and two lumbar vertebrae of Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, and Pongo pygmaeus. The study had two goals. One was to confirm the existence of traits previously reported to distinguish the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of H. sapiens from those of the great apes. The other was to, if possible, identify hitherto undescribed traits that differentiate H. sapiens thoracic and lumbar vertebrae from those of the great apes. Both goals were accomplished. Our analyses not only substantiated a number of traits that have previously been discussed in the literature but also identified four traits that have not been described before: (1) dorsoventrally shorter pedicles in the upper thoracic vertebrae; (2) dorsoventrally longer laminae in all five of the vertebrae examined; (3) longer transverse processes in the upper thoracic vertebrae; and (4) craniocaudally 'pinched' spinous process tips in all of the vertebrae examined. A review of the biomechanical literature suggests that most of the traits highlighted in our analyses can be plausibly linked to bipedalism, including three of the four new ones. As such, the present study not only sheds further light on the differences between the spines of H. sapiens and great apes but also enhances our understanding of how the shift to bipedalism affected the hominin vertebral column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Plomp
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.
| | - Una Strand Viðarsdóttir
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Læknagarður, Vatnsmýrarvegi 16, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK
| | - Darlene Weston
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 6303 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Mark Collard
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Wintrich T, Jonas R, Wilke HJ, Schmitz L, Sander PM. Neck mobility in the Jurassic plesiosaur Cryptoclidus eurymerus: finite element analysis as a new approach to understanding the cervical skeleton in fossil vertebrates. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7658. [PMID: 31720095 PMCID: PMC6842296 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The sauropterygian clade Plesiosauria arose in the Late Triassic and survived to the very end of the Cretaceous. Plesiosauria evolved the greatest species diversity of any marine reptile clade, attaining a global distribution. Plesiosauria consist of two clades, Rhomaleosauridae and Neoplesiosauria. Basal Neoplesiosauria have long necks with at least 30 cervicals, but show qualitative osteological evidence for a stiff neck. Here we quantify neck mobility in lateral, ventral, and dorsal directions based on finite element modeling of neck vertebrae from the Middle Jurassic plesiosaur Cryptoclidus eurymerus. We model the mobility in a single motion segment, consisting of two adjacent cervical vertebrae and the joints connecting them. Based on the model with a maximum intervertebral spacing of 3 mm, we find that in Cryptoclidus, the maximum angle of lateral deflection in the motion segment was 2°. The maximum angle of ventral deflection was 5° and of dorsal deflection was 5°. When these values are multiplied by the number of cervical vertebrae, it becomes apparent that neck mobility was limited in all directions. The maximum angle of total lateral deflection in the neck was 67°. The maximum angle of total ventral deflection was 148° and of total dorsal deflection was 157°. This raises the question of the function of such a long, multi-segment but immobile neck. We posit that the long neck served in hydrodynamic and visual camouflage, hiding the bulk of the body from the small but abundant prey, such as schooling fish and squid. Neck immobility may have been advantageous in withstanding strong hydrodynamic forces acting on the neck during predatory strikes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Wintrich
- Section Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Anatomy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - René Jonas
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Universität Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Lars Schmitz
- Keck Science Department of the Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA.,Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - P Martin Sander
- Section Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Phan LT, Lee YH, Lee YH, Lee H, Kang H, Choi HR. Study on effects of spinal joint for running quadruped robots. INTEL SERV ROBOT 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11370-019-00297-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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31
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Galbusera F, Bassani T. The Spine: A Strong, Stable, and Flexible Structure with Biomimetics Potential. Biomimetics (Basel) 2019; 4:E60. [PMID: 31480241 PMCID: PMC6784295 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics4030060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
From its first appearance in early vertebrates, the spine evolved the function of protecting the spinal cord, avoiding excessive straining during body motion. Its stiffness and strength provided the basis for the development of the axial skeleton as the mechanical support of later animals, especially those which moved to the terrestrial environment where gravity loads are not alleviated by the buoyant force of water. In tetrapods, the functions of the spine can be summarized as follows: protecting the spinal cord; supporting the weight of the body, transmitting it to the ground through the limbs; allowing the motion of the trunk, through to its flexibility; providing robust origins and insertions to the muscles of trunk and limbs. This narrative review provides a brief perspective on the development of the spine in vertebrates, first from an evolutionary, and then from an embryological point of view. The paper describes functions and the shape of the spine throughout the whole evolution of vertebrates and vertebrate embryos, from primordial jawless fish to extant animals such as birds and humans, highlighting its fundamental features such as strength, stability, and flexibility, which gives it huge potential as a basis for bio-inspired technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Galbusera
- Laboratory of Biological Structures Mechanics, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan, Italy.
| | - Tito Bassani
- Laboratory of Biological Structures Mechanics, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan, Italy
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Chamoli U, Umali J, Kleuskens MWA, Chepurin D, Diwan AD. Morphological characteristics of the kangaroo lumbar intervertebral discs and comparison with other animal models used in spine research. EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN SPINE SOCIETY, THE EUROPEAN SPINAL DEFORMITY SOCIETY, AND THE EUROPEAN SECTION OF THE CERVICAL SPINE RESEARCH SOCIETY 2019; 29:652-662. [PMID: 31240440 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-019-06044-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Animal models are frequently used to elucidate pathomechanism and pathophysiology of various disorders of the human intervertebral disc (IVD) and also to develop therapeutic approaches. Here we report morphological characteristics of the kangaroo lumbar IVDs and compare them with other animal models used in spine research. METHODS Twenty-five fresh-frozen cadaveric lumbar spines (T12-S1) derived from kangaroo carcases (Macropus giganteus) of undetermined age were first scanned in a C-Arm X-ray machine. A photograph of the axial section of the disc including a calibrated metric scale was also acquired. The digital radiographs and photographs were processed in ImageJ to determine the axial and sagittal plane dimensions for the whole disc (WD) and the nucleus pulposus (NP) and the mid-sagittal disc height for all the lumbar levels. RESULTS Our results suggest that the L6-S1 IVD in kangaroos is distinctly large compared with the upper lumbar IVDs. Based on previously published data, human lumbar IVDs are the largest of all the animal IVDs used in spine research, with camelid cervical IVDs being the closest relative in absolute dimensions (llamas: 78% in disc height, 40% in WD volume, and 38% in NP volume). Kangaroo L6-S1 IVD was approximately 51% in height, 20% in WD volume, and 20% in NP volume of the human lumbar IVD. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that morphological similarities exist between a kangaroo and human lumbar IVD, especially with the lima bean shape in the axial plane, wedge shape in the sagittal plane, convexity at the cephalad endplates, and percentage volume occupied by the NP in the IVD. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uphar Chamoli
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. George and Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Kogarah, Sydney, NSW, 2217, Australia.
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Jose Umali
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. George and Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Kogarah, Sydney, NSW, 2217, Australia
| | - Meike W A Kleuskens
- Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Chepurin
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. George and Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Kogarah, Sydney, NSW, 2217, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Ashish D Diwan
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. George and Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Kogarah, Sydney, NSW, 2217, Australia
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Williams SA, Spear JK, Petrullo L, Goldstein DM, Lee AB, Peterson AL, Miano DA, Kaczmarek EB, Shattuck MR. Increased variation in numbers of presacral vertebrae in suspensory mammals. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:949-956. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-0894-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Law CJ, Slater GJ, Mehta RS. Shared extremes by ectotherms and endotherms: Body elongation in mustelids is associated with small size and reduced limbs. Evolution 2019; 73:735-749. [PMID: 30793764 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
An elongate body with reduced or absent limbs has evolved independently in many ectothermic vertebrate lineages. While much effort has been spent examining the morphological pathways to elongation in these clades, quantitative investigations into the evolution of elongation in endothermic clades are lacking. We quantified body shape in 61 musteloid mammals (red panda, skunks, raccoons, and weasels) using the head-body elongation ratio. We also examined the morphological changes that may underlie the evolution toward more extreme body plans. We found that a mustelid clade comprised of the subfamilies Helictidinae, Guloninae, Ictonychinae, Mustelinae, and Lutrinae exhibited an evolutionary transition toward more elongate bodies. Furthermore, we discovered that elongation of the body is associated with the evolution of other key traits such as a reduction in body size and a reduction in forelimb length but not hindlimb length. This relationship between body elongation and forelimb length has not previously been quantitatively established for mammals but is consistent with trends exhibited by ectothermic vertebrates and suggests a common pattern of trait covariance associated with body shape evolution. This study provides the framework for documenting body shapes across a wider range of mammalian clades to better understand the morphological changes influencing shape disparity across all vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Law
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Coastal Biology Building, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95060
| | - Graham J Slater
- Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637
| | - Rita S Mehta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Coastal Biology Building, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95060
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Iijima M, Kubo T. Comparative morphology of presacral vertebrae in extant crocodylians: taxonomic, functional and ecological implications. Zool J Linn Soc 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zly096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Iijima
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Natural History Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Tai Kubo
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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36
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Frost BA, Camarero-Espinosa S, Foster EJ. Materials for the Spine: Anatomy, Problems, and Solutions. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 12:E253. [PMID: 30646556 PMCID: PMC6356370 DOI: 10.3390/ma12020253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Disc degeneration affects 12% to 35% of a given population, based on genetics, age, gender, and other environmental factors, and usually occurs in the lumbar spine due to heavier loads and more strenuous motions. Degeneration of the extracellular matrix (ECM) within reduces mechanical integrity, shock absorption, and swelling capabilities of the intervertebral disc. When severe enough, the disc can bulge and eventually herniate, leading to pressure build up on the spinal cord. This can cause immense lower back pain in individuals, leading to total medical costs exceeding $100 billion. Current treatment options include both invasive and noninvasive methods, with spinal fusion surgery and total disc replacement (TDR) being the most common invasive procedures. Although these treatments cause pain relief for the majority of patients, multiple challenges arise for each. Therefore, newer tissue engineering methods are being researched to solve the ever-growing problem. This review spans the anatomy of the spine, with an emphasis on the functions and biological aspects of the intervertebral discs, as well as the problems, associated solutions, and future research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brody A Frost
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Sandra Camarero-Espinosa
- Complex Tissue Regeneration Department, MERLN Institute for Technology-inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - E Johan Foster
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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Wells RT, Camens AB. New skeletal material sheds light on the palaeobiology of the Pleistocene marsupial carnivore, Thylacoleo carnifex. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208020. [PMID: 30540785 PMCID: PMC6291118 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The extinct marsupial ‘lion’ Thylacoleo carnifex was Australia’s largest mammalian carnivore. Despite being the topic of more discussion than any other extinct Australian marsupial (excepting perhaps the Thylacine), basic aspects of its palaeobiology, including its locomotory repertoire, remain poorly understood. Recent discoveries allowed the first reconstruction of an entire skeleton including the first complete tail and hitherto-unrecognised clavicles. Here we describe these elements and re-assess the biomechanics of the postcranial skeleton via comparisons with a range of extant terrestrial, scansorial and arboreal Australian marsupials. Our analysis suggests that T. carnifex possessed: a relatively stiff tail comprising half of the vertebral column length; proximal caudal centra exhibiting a relatively high resistance to sagittal and lateral bending (RSB and RTB); relatively enlarged areas of origin for caudal flexors and extensors; a rigid lumbar spine; and a shoulder girdle braced by strong clavicles. The lever arms of major muscle/tendon systems controlling the axial and appendicular skeleton were identified and RSB and RTB calculated. The combination of these features compared most closely overall with those of the much smaller Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), a hunter/scavenger capable of climbing. Similar locomotor behaviour is proposed for Thylacoleo carnifex. Orientation of articular facets and RSB stresses also indicate that T. carnifex may have held its tail in a dorsally-flexed position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roderick T. Wells
- Ecology and Evolution, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Palaeontology, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Aaron B. Camens
- Ecology and Evolution, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Jones KE, Benitez L, Angielczyk KD, Pierce SE. Adaptation and constraint in the evolution of the mammalian backbone. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:172. [PMID: 30445907 PMCID: PMC6240174 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1282-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The axial skeleton consists of repeating units (vertebrae) that are integrated through their development and evolution. Unlike most tetrapods, vertebrae in the mammalian trunk are subdivided into distinct thoracic and lumbar modules, resulting in a system that is constrained in terms of count but highly variable in morphology. This study asks how thoracolumbar regionalization has impacted adaptation and evolvability across mammals. Using geometric morphometrics, we examine evolutionary patterns in five vertebral positions from diverse mammal species encompassing a broad range of locomotor ecologies. We quantitatively compare the effects of phylogenetic and allometric constraints, and ecological adaptation between regions, and examine their impact on evolvability (disparity and evolutionary rate) of serially-homologous vertebrae. RESULTS Although phylogenetic signal and allometry are evident throughout the trunk, the effect of locomotor ecology is partitioned between vertebral positions. Lumbar vertebral shape correlates most strongly with ecology, differentiating taxa based on their use of asymmetric gaits. Similarly, disparity and evolutionary rates are also elevated posteriorly, indicating a link between the lumbar region, locomotor adaptation, and evolvability. CONCLUSION Vertebral regionalization in mammals has facilitated rapid evolution of the posterior trunk in response to selection for locomotion and static body support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina E. Jones
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Lorena Benitez
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Kenneth D. Angielczyk
- Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496 USA
| | - Stephanie E. Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
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Powell GL, Russell AP, Sutey J. Patterns of growth in the presacral vertebral column of the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius). J Morphol 2018; 279:1088-1103. [PMID: 29732599 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Postnatal growth patterns within the vertebral column may be informative about body proportions and regionalization. We measured femur length, lengths of all pre-sacral vertebrae, and lengths of intervertebral spaces, from radiographs of a series of 21 Eublepharis macularius, raised under standard conditions and covering most of the ontogenetic body size range. Vertebrae were grouped into cervical, sternal, and dorsal compartments, and lengths of adjacent pairs of vertebrae were summed before analysis. Femur length was included as an index of body size. Principal component analysis of the variance-covariance matrix of these data was used to investigate scaling among them. PC1 explained 94.19% of total variance, interpreted as the variance due to body size. PC1 differed significantly from the hypothetical isometric vector, indicating overall allometry. The atlas and axis vertebrae displayed strong negative allometry; the remainder of the vertebral pairs exhibited weak negative allometry, isometry or positive allometry. PC1 explained a markedly smaller amount of variance for the vertebral pairs of the cervical compartment than for the remainder of the vertebral pairs, with the exception of the final pair. The relative standard deviations of the eigenvalues from the PCAs of the three vertebral compartments indicated that the vertebrae of the cervical compartment were less strongly integrated by scaling than were the sternal or dorsal vertebrae, which did not differ greatly between themselves in their strong integration, suggesting that the growth of the cervical vertebrae is constrained by the mechanical requirements of the head. Regionalization of the remainder of the vertebral column is less clearly defined but may be associated with wave form propagation incident upon locomotion, and by locomotory changes occasioned by tail autotomy and regeneration. Femur length exhibits negative allometry relative to individual vertebral pairs and to vertebral column length, suggesting a change in locomotor requirements over the ontogenetic size range.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony P Russell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jennifer Sutey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Sellers WI, Hirasaki E. Quadrupedal locomotor simulation: producing more realistic gaits using dual-objective optimization. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:171836. [PMID: 29657790 PMCID: PMC5882714 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In evolutionary biomechanics it is often considered that gaits should evolve to minimize the energetic cost of travelling a given distance. In gait simulation this goal often leads to convincing gait generation. However, as the musculoskeletal models used get increasingly sophisticated, it becomes apparent that such a single goal can lead to extremely unrealistic gait patterns. In this paper, we explore the effects of requiring adequate lateral stability and show how this increases both energetic cost and the realism of the generated walking gait in a high biofidelity chimpanzee musculoskeletal model. We also explore the effects of changing the footfall sequences in the simulation so it mimics both the diagonal sequence walking gaits that primates typically use and also the lateral sequence walking gaits that are much more widespread among mammals. It is apparent that adding a lateral stability criterion has an important effect on the footfall phase relationship, suggesting that lateral stability may be one of the key drivers behind the observed footfall sequences in quadrupedal gaits. The observation that single optimization goals are no longer adequate for generating gait in current models has important implications for the use of biomimetic virtual robots to predict the locomotor patterns in fossil animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Irvin Sellers
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Eishi Hirasaki
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
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Thompson K, Moore S, Tang S, Wiet M, Purmessur D. The chondrodystrophic dog: A clinically relevant intermediate-sized animal model for the study of intervertebral disc-associated spinal pain. JOR Spine 2018; 1:e1011. [PMID: 29984354 PMCID: PMC6018624 DOI: 10.1002/jsp2.1011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide, with an estimated 80% of the American population suffering from a painful back condition at some point during their lives. The most common cause of LBP is intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD), a condition that can be difficult to treat, either surgically or medically, with current available therapies. Thus, understanding the pathological mechanisms of IVDD and developing novel treatments are critical for improving outcome and quality of life in people living with LBP. While experimental animal models provide valuable mechanistic insight, each model has limitations that complicate translation to the clinical setting. This review focuses on the chondrodystrophic canine clinical model of IVDD as a promising model to assess IVD-associated spinal pain and translational therapeutic strategies for LBP. The canine IVD, while smaller in size than human, goat, ovine, and bovine IVDs, is larger than most other small animal IVDD models and undergoes maturational changes similar to those of the human IVD. Furthermore, both dogs and humans develop painful IVDD as a spontaneous process, resulting in similar characteristic pathologies and clinical signs. Future exploration of the canine model as a model of IVD-associated spinal pain and biological treatments using the canine clinical model will further demonstrate its translational capabilities with the added ethical benefit of treating an existing veterinary patient population with IVDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Thompson
- Department of Veterinary Clinical SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhio
| | - Sarah Moore
- Department of Veterinary Clinical SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhio
| | - Shirley Tang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of EngineeringThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhio
| | - Matthew Wiet
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of EngineeringThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhio
| | - Devina Purmessur
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of EngineeringThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhio
- Department of Orthopedics, College of MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhio
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Arlegi M, Gómez‐Robles A, Gómez‐Olivencia A. Morphological integration in the gorilla, chimpanzee, and human neck. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:408-416. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mikel Arlegi
- Department of Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencia y TecnologíaEuskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/nLeioa, 48940 Spain
- Université de Bordeaux, PACEA UMR 5199, Bâtiment B8, Allée Geoffroy Saint‐HilairePessac 33615 France
| | - Aida Gómez‐Robles
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and EnvironmentUniversity College LondonLondon WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History MuseumLondon SW7 5BD United Kingdom
| | - Asier Gómez‐Olivencia
- Department of Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencia y TecnologíaEuskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/nLeioa, 48940 Spain
- IKERBASQUE. Basque Foundation for Science Spain
- Centro UCM‐ISCIII de Investigación sobre Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Avda. Monforte de Lemos 5 (Pabellón 14)Madrid 28029 Spain
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Bebej RM, Smith KM. Lumbar mobility in archaeocetes (Mammalia: Cetacea) and the evolution of aquatic locomotion in the earliest whales. Zool J Linn Soc 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Bebej
- Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Kathlyn M Smith
- Department of Geology and Geography and Georgia Southern Museum, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
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Kambic RE, Biewener AA, Pierce SE. Experimental determination of three-dimensional cervical joint mobility in the avian neck. Front Zool 2017; 14:37. [PMID: 28747987 PMCID: PMC5525307 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-017-0223-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Birds have highly mobile necks, but neither the details of how they realize complex poses nor the evolution of this complex musculoskeletal system is well-understood. Most previous work on avian neck function has focused on dorsoventral flexion, with few studies quantifying lateroflexion or axial rotation. Such data are critical for understanding joint function, as musculoskeletal movements incorporate motion around multiple degrees of freedom simultaneously. Here we use biplanar X-rays on wild turkeys to quantify three-dimensional cervical joint range of motion in an avian neck to determine patterns of mobility along the cranial-caudal axis. Results Range of motion can be generalized to a three-region model: cranial joints are ventroflexed with high axial and lateral mobility, caudal joints are dorsiflexed with little axial rotation but high lateroflexion, and middle joints show varying amounts axial rotation and a low degree of lateroflexion. Nonetheless, variation within and between regions is high. To attain complex poses, substantial axial rotation can occur at joints caudal to the atlas/axis complex and zygapophyseal joints can reduce their overlap almost to osteological disarticulation. Degrees of freedom interact at cervical joints; maximum lateroflexion occurs at different dorsoventral flexion angles at different joints, and axial rotation and lateroflexion are strongly coupled. Further, patterns of joint mobility are strongly predicted by cervical morphology. Conclusion Birds attain complex neck poses through a combination of mobile intervertebral joints, coupled rotations, and highly flexible zygapophyseal joints. Cranial-caudal patterns of joint mobility are tightly linked to cervical morphology, such that function can be predicted by form. The technique employed here provides a repeatable protocol for studying neck function in a broad array of taxa that will be directly comparable. It also serves as a foundation for future work on the evolution of neck mobility along the line from non-avian theropod dinosaurs to birds. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12983-017-0223-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Kambic
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.,Concord Field Station, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Bedford, MA 01730 USA
| | - Andrew A Biewener
- Concord Field Station, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Bedford, MA 01730 USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
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45
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Randau M, Goswami A. Morphological modularity in the vertebral column of Felidae (Mammalia, Carnivora). BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:133. [PMID: 28599641 PMCID: PMC5466766 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0975-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated that the clear morphological differences among vertebrae across the presacral column are accompanied by heterogeneous functional signals in vertebral shape. Further, several lines of evidence suggest that the mammalian axial skeleton is a highly modular structure. These include its composition of serial units, a trade-off between high shape variance and strong conservation of vertebral count, and direct association of regions with anterior expression sites of Hox genes. Here we investigate the modular organisation of the presacral vertebral column of modern cats (Felidae, Carnivora, Mammalia) with pairwise comparisons of vertebral shape covariation (i.e. integration) and evaluate our results against hypotheses of developmental and functional modularity. We used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to quantify vertebral shape and then assessed integration between pairs of vertebrae with phylogenetic two-block partial least square analysis (PLS). RESULTS Six modules were identified in the pairwise analyses (vertebrae included are designated as 'C' for cervical, 'T' for thoracic, and 'L' for lumbar): an anterior module (C1 to T1); a transitional module situated between the last cervicals and first thoracics (C6 to T2); an anterior to middle thoracic set (T4 to T8); an anticlinal module (T10 and T11); a posterior set composed of the last two thoracics and lumbars (T12 to L7); and a module showing covariation between the cervicals and the posterior set (T12 to L7). These modules reflect shared developmental pathways, ossification timing, and observed ecological shape diversification in living species of felids. CONCLUSIONS We show here that patterns of shape integration reflect modular organisation of the vertebral column of felids. Whereas this pattern corresponds with hypotheses of developmental and functional regionalisation in the axial skeleton, it does not simply reflect major vertebral regions. This modularity may also have permitted vertebral partitions, specifically in the posterior vertebral column, to be more responsive to selection and achieve higher morphological disparity than other vertebral regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Randau
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UK
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK
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Niederschuh SJ, Helbig T, Zimmermann K, Witte H, Schmidt M. Kinematic response in limb and body posture to sensory feedback from carpal sinus hairs in the rat (Rattus norvegicus). ZOOLOGY 2017; 121:18-34. [PMID: 28274515 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Revised: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
One of the most challenging adaptations within the therians has been to ensure dynamic stability of the trunk during rapid locomotion in highly structured environments. A reorganization of limb mechanics and development of new sensors has taken place within their stem lineage. Rats, which have a similar lifestyle to the first therians, possess sinus hairs specialized for tactile sensing. It is supposed that carpal sinus hairs have a role in sensing substrate properties and can thus induce adjustments in limb kinematics and body posture according to the different surface diameters and structures detected. This implies a shared sensorimotor control loop of sinus hairs and body posture. To investigate the role of the carpal sinus hairs during locomotion and to explore a possible interaction between limb and spine motion, spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters as well as the contact mechanics of the hairs with regard to the surface were quantified. Locomotion on a treadmill with continuous and discontinuous substrates was compared in the presence/absence of the carpal sinus hairs across a speed range from 0.2m/s to 0.6m/s. Recordings were taken synchronously using x-ray fluoroscopy and normal-light high-speed cameras. Our investigation revealed that the three tactile hairs made a triangle-like contact with the ground approximately 30ms before touchdown of the forelimb. Within that time, it is likely that both the body posture and its oscillation are adjusted according to the different surface textures. The sensory input of the carpal sinus hairs induces a stabilization of the trajectory of the center of mass and, therefore, improves the dynamic stability of the trunk; conversely, the absence of the sensors results in a more crouched frontal body posture, similar to that seen in rats when they are moving in an unknown terrain. The carpal sinus hairs also sense the animal's speed during surface contact. This implicates an adjustment of the limb and spine kinematics, by increasing the speed-dependent effect or by increasing the distance between the trunk and the ground when the rat is walking faster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra J Niederschuh
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erbertstraße 1, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
| | - Thomas Helbig
- Group of Biomechatronics, Ilmenau University of Technology, P.O. Box 10 05 65, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Klaus Zimmermann
- Group of Mechanical Engineering, Ilmenau University of Technology, P.O. Box 10 05 65, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Hartmut Witte
- Group of Biomechatronics, Ilmenau University of Technology, P.O. Box 10 05 65, D-98684 Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Manuela Schmidt
- Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erbertstraße 1, D-07743 Jena, Germany
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Chamoli U, Korkusuz MH, Sabnis AB, Manolescu AR, Tsafnat N, Diwan AD. Global and segmental kinematic changes following sequential resection of posterior osteoligamentous structures in the lumbar spine: An in vitro biomechanical investigation using pure moment testing protocols. Proc Inst Mech Eng H 2016; 229:812-21. [PMID: 26503842 DOI: 10.1177/0954411915612503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Lumbar spinal surgeries may compromise the integrity of posterior osteoligamentous structures implicating mechanical stability. Circumstances necessitating a concomitant surgery to achieve restabilisation are not well understood. The main objective of this in vitro study was to quantify global and segmental (index and adjacent levels) kinematic changes in the lumbar spine following sequential resection of the posterior osteoligamentous structures using pure moment testing protocols. Six fresh frozen cadaveric kangaroo lumbar spines (T12-S1) were tested under a bending moment in flexion-extension, bilateral bending, and axial torsion in a 6-degree-of-freedom Kinematic Spine Simulator. Specimens were tested in the following order: intact state (D0), after interspinous and supraspinous ligaments transection between L4 and L5 (D1), further after a total bilateral facetectomy between L4 and L5 (D2). Segmental motions at the cephalad, damaged, and caudal levels were recorded using an infrared-based motion tracking device. Following D1, no significant change in the global range of motion was observed in any of the bending planes. Following D2, a significant increase in the global range of motion from the baseline (D0) was observed in axial torsion (median normalised change +20%). At the damaged level, D2 resulted in a significant increase in the segmental range of motion in flexion-extension (+77%) and axial torsion (+492%). Additionally, a significant decrease in the segmental range of motion in axial torsion (-35%) was observed at the caudal level following D2. These results suggest that a multi-segment lumbar spine acts as a mechanism for transmitting motions, and that a compromised joint may significantly alter motion transfer to adjacent segments. We conclude that the interspinous and supraspinous ligaments play a modest role in restricting global spinal motions within physiologic limits. Following interspinous and supraspinous ligaments transection, a total bilateral facetectomy resulted in a significant increase in axial torsion motion, both at global and damaged levels, accompanied with a compensatory decrease in motion at the caudal level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uphar Chamoli
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mert H Korkusuz
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ashutosh B Sabnis
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrei R Manolescu
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Naomi Tsafnat
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ashish D Diwan
- Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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48
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Regional differentiation of felid vertebral column evolution: a study of 3D shape trajectories. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-016-0304-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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49
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Balasubramanian S, Peters JR, Robinson LF, Singh A, Kent RW. Thoracic spine morphology of a pseudo-biped animal model (kangaroo) and comparisons with human and quadruped animals. EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN SPINE SOCIETY, THE EUROPEAN SPINAL DEFORMITY SOCIETY, AND THE EUROPEAN SECTION OF THE CERVICAL SPINE RESEARCH SOCIETY 2016; 25:4140-4154. [PMID: 27704284 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-016-4776-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Based on the structural anatomy, loading condition and range of motion (ROM), no quadruped animal has been shown to accurately mimic the structure and biomechanical function of the human spine. The objective of this study is to quantify the thoracic vertebrae geometry of the kangaroo, and compare with adult human, pig, sheep, and deer. METHODS The thoracic vertebrae (T1-T12) from whole body CT scans of ten juvenile kangaroos (ages 11-14 months) were digitally reconstructed and geometric dimensions of the vertebral bodies, endplates, pedicles, spinal canal, processes, facets and intervertebral discs were recorded. Similar data available in the literature on the adult human, pig, sheep, and deer were compared to the kangaroo. A non-parametric trend analysis was performed. RESULTS Thoracic vertebral dimensions of the juvenile kangaroo were found to be generally smaller than those of the adult human and quadruped animals. The most significant (p < 0.001) correlations (Rho) found between the human and kangaroo were in vertebrae and endplate dimensions (0.951 ≤ Rho ≤ 0.963), pedicles (0.851 ≤ Rho ≤ 0.951), and inter-facet heights (0.891 ≤ Rho ≤ 0.967). The deer displayed the least similar trends across vertebral levels. CONCLUSIONS Similarities in thoracic spine vertebral geometry, particularly of the vertebrae, pedicles and facets may render the kangaroo a more clinically relevant human surrogate for testing spinal implants. The pseudo-biped kangaroo may also be a more suitable model for the human thoracic spine for simulating spine deformities, based on previously published similarities in biomechanical loading, posture and ROM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Balasubramanian
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Bossone 718, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - James R Peters
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Bossone 718, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Lucy F Robinson
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Nesbitt Hall, 3215 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Anita Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Widener University, One University Place, Chester, PA, 19013, USA
| | - Richard W Kent
- Mechanical and Aerospace Department, University of Virginia, 122 Engineer's Way, P.O. Box 400746, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4746, USA
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Oliver JD, Jones KE, Hautier L, Loughry WJ, Pierce SE. Vertebral bending mechanics and xenarthrous morphology in the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:2991-3002. [PMID: 27473436 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.142331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The vertebral column has evolved to accommodate the broad range of locomotor pressures found across vertebrate lineages. Xenarthran (armadillos, sloths and anteaters) vertebral columns are characterized by xenarthrous articulations, novel intervertebral articulations located in the posterior trunk that are hypothesized to stiffen the vertebral column to facilitate digging. To determine the degree to which xenarthrous articulations impact vertebral movement, we passively measured compliance and range of motion during ventroflexion, dorsiflexion and lateral bending across the thoracolumbar region of the nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus Patterns of bending were compared with changes in vertebral morphology along the column to determine which morphological features best predict intervertebral joint mechanics. We found that compliance was lower in post-diaphragmatic, xenarthrous vertebrae relative to pre-xenarthrous vertebrae in both sagittal and lateral planes of bending. However, we also found that range of motion was higher in this region. These changes in mechanics are correlated with the transition from pre-xenarthrous to xenarthrous vertebrae, as well as with the transition from thoracic to lumbar vertebrae. Our results thus substantiate the hypothesis that xenarthrous articulations stiffen the vertebral column. Additionally, our data suggest that xenarthrous articulations, and their associated enlarged metapophyses, also act to increase the range of motion of the post-diaphragmatic region. We propose that xenarthrous articulations perform the dual role of stiffening the vertebral column and increasing mobility, resulting in passively stable vertebrae that are capable of substantial bending under appropriate loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian D Oliver
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Katrina E Jones
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR 5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - W J Loughry
- Department of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA 31698-0015, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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