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Stanton EW, Manasyan A, Roohani I, Kondra K, Magee WP, Hammoudeh JA, Urata MM. A National Analysis of Craniosynostosis Demographic and Surgical Trends Over a 10-Year Period. J Craniofac Surg 2024:00001665-990000000-01732. [PMID: 38940557 DOI: 10.1097/scs.0000000000010434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of craniosynostosis, characterized by the premature fusion of calvarial sutures, is multifaceted and often the result of an amalgamation of contributing factors. The current study seeks examine the possible contributors to craniosynostosis development and its surgical trends over time. A multicenter/national retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients who underwent surgical repair of craniosynostosis (n=11,279) between 2012 and 2021 identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric Data File. Main outcome measures included risk factors and trends relating to surgical repair of craniosynostosis. Nationwide reports of craniosynostosis in the NSQIP-P database have increased between 2012 and 2021 by 195%. The prevalence of craniosynostosis per overall cases has remained between 1.0% and 1.3%. There were predominantly more White male patients in the craniosynostosis cohort (P<0.001). Craniosynostosis patients had significantly greater birth weights, gestational ages, and were less likely to be premature (P<0.05). Linear regression demonstrated that operative time, anesthesia time, and length of stay significantly decreased over the study period (P<0.001). This national data analysis highlights trends in craniosynostosis repair indicating potential improvements in safety and patient outcomes over time. While these findings offer insights for health care professionals, caution is warranted in extrapolating beyond the data's scope. Future research should focus on diverse patient populations, compare outcomes across institutions, and employ prospective study designs to enhance the evidence base for craniosynostosis management. These efforts will help refine diagnostic and treatment strategies, potentially leading to better outcomes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise W Stanton
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine
| | - Artur Manasyan
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine
| | - Idean Roohani
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine
| | - Katelyn Kondra
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine
| | - William P Magee
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Southern California
- Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jeffrey A Hammoudeh
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Southern California
- Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Mark M Urata
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keck School of Medicine
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Southern California
- Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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Miura T. Fractality of Cranial Sutures. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 36:227-240. [PMID: 38468035 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-47606-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
It has long been known that skull suture has a typical fractal structure. Although the fractal dimension has been utilized to assess morphology, the mechanism of the fractal structure formation remains to be elucidated. Recent advances in the mathematical modeling of biological pattern formation provided useful frameworks for understanding this mechanism. This chapter describes how various proposed mechanisms tried to explain the formation of fractal structures in cranial sutures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Miura
- Kyushu University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan.
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3
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Prevalence of wormian bones worldwide: a critical review. ANTHROPOLOGICAL REVIEW 2023. [DOI: 10.18778/1898-6773.85.4.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Wormian bones (WB) are the irregular bone structures developed from additional centers of ossification. Although they are commonly found in healthy individuals, under certain conditions (number >10, mosaic pattern, large size), they can indicate pathology. While their coexistence with numerous diseases is well-documented, and various studies have reported their prevalence in populations of various geographic regions, no qualitative critical review of such studies has been conducted. The aim of this paper is to perform a critical review of research studies on the presence of Wormian bones in populations worldwide, with a particular emphasis on the methodology used and the selection of the samples studied.
A sample of 44 original research articles was selected via PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Four criteria were assessed: 1) number of individuals in each group, 2) known sex of individuals, 3) selection criteria of individuals, and 4) implementation of the statistical analysis. The origin of the research sample was determined as well as the method of the WB calculation, and data on the WB prevalence worldwide was collected in tabular form.
The reported size of the research samples varies from 22 to 628 individuals, derived from both contemporary and archaeological populations. Four major formulas were used in order to provide the frequency of WB. The sex of individuals was known in 18 (40.9%) articles. Most of the articles focused on Asian samples.
The difficulties in comparing data on the Wormian bones are caused by considerable inconsistency in the methodology used to research this phenomenon. Therefore, the interpopulation comparisons currently made may not be correctly estimated. Our study highlights the need for using more comprehensive and consistent data collection as well as processing protocol suitable for populational research on sutural bones.
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Ivanov VP, Sakhno LP, Shchetinina AM, Kim AV, Trushcheleva SV. Early diagnosis and surgical treatment of craniosynostoses. ROSSIYSKIY VESTNIK PERINATOLOGII I PEDIATRII (RUSSIAN BULLETIN OF PERINATOLOGY AND PEDIATRICS) 2022. [DOI: 10.21508/1027-4065-2022-67-5-62-67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Craniosynostosis is a craniofacial anomaly, characterized by premature fusion of one or more of the cranial sutures. Each suture and their combination correspond to a special type of deformation.Purpose. The study aimed at indicating the difficulties of early diagnostics of various forms of the craniosynostosis and evaluating the quality of treatment of patients with this disease depending on their age.Material and methods. A survey of parents with craniosynostosis who were treated at the Almazov National Medical Research Centre in 2018–2019 was conducted. The parents of 107 patients were surveyed. The main objectives of our research were: to evaluate the timeliness of diagnosis of craniosynostosis at primary health care at patient’s place of residence; to compare the methods of diagnosis verification and to present the results of the parents’ subjective assessment of the results of surgical treatment at the early and long-term postoperative period.Results. The median age of children when they were diagnosed with craniosystosis was 5 months, the median age of patients when they underwent a surgical treatment was 16 months. The median duration of the catamnesis was 6 months. We revealed that the preliminary diagnosis was established by a neurologist and pediatrician only in 21% of cases. Only at 28% of cases, children were directed to neurosurgeon, who confirm the diagnosis. In 38 (35.3%) cases, patient’s parents independently sought medical advice. The diagnosis was verified by the results of the computer tomography in 55% of patients. on because primary care specialists due to the lack of primary care specialists’ awareness about the diagnosis of craniosynostoses and attempts at long-term monitoring and conservative treatment. The timeliness of detection of craniosynostosis in the newborn period and in the|first month of life can significantly improve the cosmetic and functional outcomes of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - L. P. Sakhno
- Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University
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Wynd B, Abdala F, Nesbitt SJ. Ontogenetic growth in the crania of Exaeretodon argentinus (Synapsida: Cynodontia) captures a dietary shift. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14196. [PMID: 36299507 PMCID: PMC9590418 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background An ontogenetic niche shift in vertebrates is a common occurrence where ecology shifts with morphological changes throughout growth. How ecology shifts over a vertebrate's lifetime is often reconstructed in extant species-by combining observational and skeletal data from growth series of the same species-because interactions between organisms and their environment can be observed directly. However, reconstructing shifts using extinct vertebrates is difficult and requires well-sampled growth series, specimens with relatively complete preservation, and easily observable skeletal traits associated with ecologies suspected to change throughout growth, such as diet. Methods To reconstruct ecological changes throughout the growth of a stem-mammal, we describe changes associated with dietary ecology in a growth series of crania of the large-bodied (∼2 m in length) and herbivorous form, Exaeretodon argentinus (Cynodontia: Traversodontidae) from the Late Triassic Ischigualasto Formation, San Juan, Argentina. Nearly all specimens were deformed by taphonomic processes, so we reconstructed allometric slope using a generalized linear mixed effects model with distortion as a random effect. Results Under a mixed effects model, we find that throughout growth, E. argentinus reduced the relative length of the palate, postcanine series, orbits, and basicranium, and expanded the relative length of the temporal region and the height of the zygomatic arch. The allometric relationship between the zygomatic arch and temporal region with the total length of the skull approximate the rate of growth for feeding musculature. Based on a higher allometric slope, the zygoma height is growing relatively faster than the length of the temporal region. The higher rate of change in the zygoma may suggest that smaller individuals had a crushing-dominated feeding style that transitioned into a chewing-dominated feeding style in larger individuals, suggesting a dietary shift from possible faunivory to a more plant-dominated diet. Dietary differentiation throughout development is further supported by an increase in sutural complexity and a shift in the orientation of microwear anisotropy between small and large individuals of E. argentinus. A developmental transition in the feeding ecology of E. argentinus is reflective of the reconstructed dietary transition across Gomphodontia, wherein the earliest-diverging species are inferred as omnivorous and the well-nested traversodontids are inferred as herbivorous, potentially suggesting that faunivory in immature individuals of the herbivorous Traversodontidae may be plesiomorphic for the clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenen Wynd
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Fernando Abdala
- CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sterling J. Nesbitt
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
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Stanton E, Urata M, Chen JF, Chai Y. The clinical manifestations, molecular mechanisms and treatment of craniosynostosis. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:dmm049390. [PMID: 35451466 PMCID: PMC9044212 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniosynostosis is a major congenital craniofacial disorder characterized by the premature fusion of cranial suture(s). Patients with severe craniosynostosis often have impairments in hearing, vision, intracranial pressure and/or neurocognitive functions. Craniosynostosis can result from mutations, chromosomal abnormalities or adverse environmental effects, and can occur in isolation or in association with numerous syndromes. To date, surgical correction remains the primary treatment for craniosynostosis, but it is associated with complications and with the potential for re-synostosis. There is, therefore, a strong unmet need for new therapies. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of our current understanding of craniosynostosis, including typical craniosynostosis types, their clinical manifestations, cranial suture development, and genetic and environmental causes. Based on studies from animal models, we present a framework for understanding the pathogenesis of craniosynostosis, with an emphasis on the loss of postnatal suture mesenchymal stem cells as an emerging disease-driving mechanism. We evaluate emerging treatment options and highlight the potential of mesenchymal stem cell-based suture regeneration as a therapeutic approach for craniosynostosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise Stanton
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Mark Urata
- Division of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jian-Fu Chen
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Yang Chai
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Arenas-Ruiz JA, Martínez-Maldonado H, Hernández-Segura NE, Villarreal-Silva EE, González-Carranza V, Torres-García S, Chico-Ponce de León F. Single sagittal craniosynostosis surgical treatment with the "Peau d́ours" technique. Single-center experience in Mexico. J Clin Neurosci 2022; 99:73-77. [PMID: 35255360 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2022.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Scaphocephaly (SC) is defined as an elongation of the anteroposterior axis of the skull resulting from the abnormal fusion of the sagittal suture. This study describes the "Peau d'ours" technique and results for correcting SC. We conducted a consecutive and retrospective analysis of patients treated from 2011 to 2016. We evaluated the gender, age, and surgical outcomes. A total of 53 patients were enrolled with a mean age of 19 months old. The advantages of this technique are healthy coronal and lambdoid suture preservation and symmetrical parietal bone flap opening. This technique is safe and simple to reproduce, allowing good surgical outcomes with a low incidence of secondary craniosynostosis. This technique is ideal for patients older than six months old.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ascención Arenas-Ruiz
- Servicio de Neurocirugía y Terapia Endovascular Neurológica, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. Madero y Gonzalitos SN, mitras centro, 64460 Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
| | - Horus Martínez-Maldonado
- Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, National Institute of Health, Dr. Márquez 162, Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Natalia Edith Hernández-Segura
- Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, National Institute of Health, Dr. Márquez 162, Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Eliud Enrique Villarreal-Silva
- Servicio de Neurocirugía y Terapia Endovascular Neurológica, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. Madero y Gonzalitos SN, mitras centro, 64460 Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Vicente González-Carranza
- Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, National Institute of Health, Dr. Márquez 162, Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Samuel Torres-García
- Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, National Institute of Health, Dr. Márquez 162, Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Fernando Chico-Ponce de León
- Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, National Institute of Health, Dr. Márquez 162, Cuauhtémoc, 06720 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico.
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Classification and Morphometric Features of Pterion in Thai Population with Potential Sex Prediction. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2021; 57:medicina57111282. [PMID: 34833500 PMCID: PMC8618372 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57111282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The landmark for neurosurgical approaches to access brain lesion is the pterion. The aim of the present study is to classify and examine the prevalence of all types of pterion variations and perform morphometric measurements from previously defined anthropological landmarks. Materials and methods: One-hundred and twenty-four Thai dried skulls were investigated. Classification and morphometric measurement of the pterion was performed. Machine learning models were also used to interpret the morphometric findings with respect to sex and age estimation. Results: Spheno-parietal type was the most common type (62.1%), followed by epipteric (11.7%), fronto-temporal (5.2%) and stellate (1.2%). Complete synostosis of the pterion suture was present in 18.5% and was only present in males. While most morphometric measurements were similar between males and females, the distances from the pterion center to the mastoid process and to the external occipital protuberance were longer in males. Random forest algorithm could predict sex with 80.7% accuracy (root mean square error = 0.38) when the pterion morphometric data were provided. Correlational analysis indicated that the distances from the pterion center to the anterior aspect of the frontozygomatic suture and to the zygomatic angle were positively correlated with age, which may serve as basis for age estimation in the future. Conclusions: Further studies are needed to explore the use of machine learning in anatomical studies and morphometry-based sex and age estimation. Thorough understanding of the anatomy of the pterion is clinically useful when planning pterional craniotomy, particularly when the position of the pterion may change with age.
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Cranial Anatomical Integration and Disparity Among Bones Discriminate Between Primates and Non-primate Mammals. Evol Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-021-09555-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe primate skull hosts a unique combination of anatomical features among mammals, such as a short face, wide orbits, and big braincase. Together with a trend to fuse bones in late development, these features define the anatomical organization of the skull of primates—which bones articulate to each other and the pattern this creates. Here, I quantified the anatomical organization of the skull of 17 primates and 15 non-primate mammals using anatomical network analysis to assess how the skulls of primates have diverged from those of other mammals, and whether their anatomical differences coevolved with brain size. Results show that primates have a greater anatomical integration of their skulls and a greater disparity among bones than other non-primate mammals. Brain size seems to contribute in part to this difference, but its true effect could not be conclusively proven. This supports the hypothesis that primates have a distinct anatomical organization of the skull, but whether this is related to their larger brains remains an open question.
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Kiviranta AM, Rusbridge C, Lappalainen AK, Junnila JJT, Jokinen TS. Persistent fontanelles in Chihuahuas. Part I. Distribution and clinical relevance. J Vet Intern Med 2021; 35:1834-1847. [PMID: 34028887 PMCID: PMC8295709 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Chihuahua dog breed is known for frequent occurrence of a bregmatic fontanelle on the dorsal skull. A common conception is that this skull defect is a clinically irrelevant finding. No studies, however, describe its prevalence or whether it is accompanied by other persistent fontanelles (PFs). Although Chihuahuas are predisposed to Chiari‐like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM), it is unknown whether PFs occur more commonly in dogs with clinical signs that are caused by CM or SM. Hypothesis/Objectives To describe the number and location of PFs at cranial sutures (CSs) and to compare the occurrence of these PFs in dogs with and without CM/SM‐related clinical signs. We hypothesized that PFs also occur commonly at lateral and caudal cranial surfaces, affect a higher number of CSs, and are larger in dogs with CM/SM‐related clinical signs. Animals Fifty client‐owned Chihuahuas with or without CM/SM‐related clinical signs. Results Of the 50 dogs evaluated, 46 (92%) had either 1 or several PFs. The mean ± SD number of PFs was 2.8 ± 3.0 (range, 0‐13). A total of 138 PFs occupied 118 CSs with 57 (48%) located dorsally, 44 (37%) caudally, and 17 (14%) laterally. The number of CSs affected by PFs was significantly higher (P ≤ .001) and total PF area was significantly larger (P = .003) in dogs with CM/SM‐related clinical signs. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Persistent fontanelles are very common in this group of Chihuahuas and appear at dorsal, lateral, and caudal cranial surfaces. They are more numerous and larger in Chihuahuas with CM/SM‐related clinical signs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Mariam Kiviranta
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Clare Rusbridge
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.,Fitzpatrick Referrals, Godalming, United Kingdom
| | - Anu K Lappalainen
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Tarja S Jokinen
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Complete sagittal suture closure evaluation based on post mortem computed tomography. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2021; 52:101907. [PMID: 34034066 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2021.101907] [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: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Age assessment at the time of death is of great importance when an unidentified skeleton or corpse is found. Obliteration of cranial sutures has been used for age assessment regarding anthropology as non - metrical method of direct bone inspection. The aim of our study was to assess sagittal suture closure in the contemporary population of Polish men using postmortem computed tomography. A total of 255 male skulls were analyzed with the use of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and volume rendering technique (VRT) images, which were based on whole-body postmortem computed tomography scans. The individuals of Polish origin were of precisely known metrical age. The sagittal sutures were analyzed across their entire thickness (including both the outer and inner aspect of bone) and along their entire length via frontal sections, using the sagittal suture division into 4 segments. This study showed that the earliest signs of suture closure occur in S4 on the inner side of the calvaria at a mean age of 50.48 years, but the youngest person with starting obliteration process was 13.37 years. This is prove that exist variability which must be count during biological age estimation. Additionally, VRT visualisation shows that the fourth state of obliteration does not mean that obliteration was ended. Further analyses of cranial suture closure are needed to obtain reliable methods for postmortem estimation of the age at the time of death in contemporary populations. The use of postmortem computed tomography may offer additional opportunities for contemporary analysis of skeletal material.
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12
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Cheronet O, Ash A, Anders A, Dani J, Domboróczki L, Drozdova E, Francken M, Jovanovic M, Milasinovic L, Pap I, Raczky P, Teschler-Nicola M, Tvrdý Z, Wahl J, Zariņa G, Pinhasi R. Sagittal suture morphological variation in human archaeological populations. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:2811-2822. [PMID: 33773064 PMCID: PMC9291749 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Cranial sutures join the many bones of the skull. They are therefore points of weakness and consequently subjected to the many mechanical stresses affecting the cranium. However, the way in which this impacts their morphological complexity remains unclear. We examine the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of human sagittal sutures by quantifying the morphology from 107 individuals from archaeological populations spanning the Mesolithic to Middle ages, using standardized two‐dimensional photographs. Results show that the most important factor determining sutural complexity appears to be the position along the cranial vault from the junction with the coronal suture at its anterior‐most point to the junction with the lambdoid suture at its posterior‐most point. Conversely, factors such as age and lifeways show few trends in complexity, the most significant of which is a lower complexity in the sutures of Mesolithic individuals who consumed a tougher diet. The simple technique used in this study therefore allowed us to identify that, taken together, structural aspects play a more important role in defining the complexity of the human sagittal suture than extrinsic factors such as the mechanical forces imposed on the cranium by individuals' diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Cheronet
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Abigail Ash
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Alexandra Anders
- Institute of Archeological Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | - Eva Drozdova
- Department of Experimental Biology, Section of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Laboratory of Biological and Molecular Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk Univerzity, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Francken
- Osteology, State Office for Cultural Heritage Baden-Wuerttemberg, Constance, Germany
| | | | | | - Ildiko Pap
- Department of Anthropology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Pál Raczky
- Institute of Archeological Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Maria Teschler-Nicola
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Anthropology, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zdeněk Tvrdý
- Anthropos Institute, Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Joachim Wahl
- Institut für Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie Abteilung Paläoanthropologie, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Gunita Zariņa
- University of Latvia, Institute of Latvian History, Riga, Latvia
| | - Ron Pinhasi
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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13
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White HE, Goswami A, Tucker AS. The Intertwined Evolution and Development of Sutures and Cranial Morphology. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:653579. [PMID: 33842480 PMCID: PMC8033035 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.653579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic variation across mammals is extensive and reflects their ecological diversification into a remarkable range of habitats on every continent and in every ocean. The skull performs many functions to enable each species to thrive within its unique ecological niche, from prey acquisition, feeding, sensory capture (supporting vision and hearing) to brain protection. Diversity of skull function is reflected by its complex and highly variable morphology. Cranial morphology can be quantified using geometric morphometric techniques to offer invaluable insights into evolutionary patterns, ecomorphology, development, taxonomy, and phylogenetics. Therefore, the skull is one of the best suited skeletal elements for developmental and evolutionary analyses. In contrast, less attention is dedicated to the fibrous sutural joints separating the cranial bones. Throughout postnatal craniofacial development, sutures function as sites of bone growth, accommodating expansion of a growing brain. As growth frontiers, cranial sutures are actively responsible for the size and shape of the cranial bones, with overall skull shape being altered by changes to both the level and time period of activity of a given cranial suture. In keeping with this, pathological premature closure of sutures postnatally causes profound misshaping of the skull (craniosynostosis). Beyond this crucial role, sutures also function postnatally to provide locomotive shock absorption, allow joint mobility during feeding, and, in later postnatal stages, suture fusion acts to protect the developed brain. All these sutural functions have a clear impact on overall cranial function, development and morphology, and highlight the importance that patterns of suture development have in shaping the diversity of cranial morphology across taxa. Here we focus on the mammalian cranial system and review the intrinsic relationship between suture development and morphology and cranial shape from an evolutionary developmental biology perspective, with a view to understanding the influence of sutures on evolutionary diversity. Future work integrating suture development into a comparative evolutionary framework will be instrumental to understanding how developmental mechanisms shaping sutures ultimately influence evolutionary diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E White
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail S Tucker
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Roth DM, Bayona F, Baddam P, Graf D. Craniofacial Development: Neural Crest in Molecular Embryology. Head Neck Pathol 2021; 15:1-15. [PMID: 33723764 PMCID: PMC8010074 DOI: 10.1007/s12105-021-01301-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Craniofacial development, one of the most complex sequences of developmental events in embryology, features a uniquely transient, pluripotent stem cell-like population known as the neural crest (NC). Neural crest cells (NCCs) originate from the dorsal aspect of the neural tube and migrate along pre-determined routes into the developing branchial arches and frontonasal plate. The exceptional rates of proliferation and migration of NCCs enable their diverse contribution to a wide variety of craniofacial structures. Subsequent differentiation of these cells gives rise to cartilage, bones, and a number of mesenchymally-derived tissues. Deficiencies in any stage of differentiation can result in facial clefts and abnormalities associated with craniofacial syndromes. A small number of conserved signaling pathways are involved in controlling NC differentiation and craniofacial development. They are used in a reiterated fashion to help define precise temporospatial cell and tissue formation. Although many aspects of their cellular and molecular control have yet to be described, it is clear that together they form intricately integrated signaling networks required for spatial orientation and developmental stability and plasticity, which are hallmarks of craniofacial development. Mutations that affect the functions of these signaling pathways are often directly or indirectly identified in congenital syndromes. Clinical applications of NC-derived mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells, persistent into adulthood, hold great promise for tissue repair and regeneration. Realization of NCC potential for regenerative therapies motivates understanding of the intricacies of cell communication and differentiation that underlie the complexities of NC-derived tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Marta Roth
- School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 7020N Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy & Health Research, 11361-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Francy Bayona
- School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 7020N Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy & Health Research, 11361-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Pranidhi Baddam
- School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 7020N Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy & Health Research, 11361-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Daniel Graf
- Alberta Dental Association & College Chair for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 7020N Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy & Health Research, 11361-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
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15
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The Need for Head Space: Brachycephaly and Cerebrospinal Fluid Disorders. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11020139. [PMID: 33673129 PMCID: PMC7918167 DOI: 10.3390/life11020139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Brachycephalic dogs remain popular, despite the knowledge that this head conformation is associated with health problems, including airway compromise, ocular disorders, neurological disease, and other co-morbidities. There is increasing evidence that brachycephaly disrupts cerebrospinal fluid movement and absorption, predisposing ventriculomegaly, hydrocephalus, quadrigeminal cistern expansion, Chiari-like malformation, and syringomyelia. In this review, we focus on cerebrospinal fluid physiology and how this is impacted by brachycephaly, airorhynchy, and associated craniosynostosis.
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16
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Naroda Y, Endo Y, Yoshimura K, Ishii H, Ei SI, Miura T. Noise-induced scaling in skull suture interdigitation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235802. [PMID: 33332349 PMCID: PMC7745973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Sutures, the thin, soft tissue between skull bones, serve as the major craniofacial growth centers during postnatal development. In a newborn skull, the sutures are straight; however, as the skull develops, the sutures wind dynamically to form an interdigitation pattern. Moreover, the final winding pattern had been shown to have fractal characteristics. Although various molecules involved in suture development have been identified, the mechanism underlying the pattern formation remains unknown. In a previous study, we reproduced the formation of the interdigitation pattern in a mathematical model combining an interface equation and a convolution kernel. However, the generated pattern had a specific characteristic length, and the model was unable to produce a fractal structure with the model. In the present study, we focused on the anterior part of the sagittal suture and formulated a new mathematical model with time–space-dependent noise that was able to generate the fractal structure. We reduced our previous model to represent the linear dynamics of the centerline of the suture tissue and included a time–space-dependent noise term. We showed theoretically that the final pattern from the model follows a scaling law due to the scaling of the dispersion relation in the full model, which we confirmed numerically. Furthermore, we observed experimentally that stochastic fluctuation of the osteogenic signal exists in the developing skull, and found that actual suture patterns followed a scaling law similar to that of the theoretical prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Naroda
- School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshie Endo
- Graduate school of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kenji Yoshimura
- Department of Neurology, Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ishii
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | | | - Takashi Miura
- Graduate school of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- * E-mail:
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17
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Nikolova S, Toneva D, Lazarov N. Squamous suture obliteration: frequency and investigation of the associated skull morphology. Anat Sci Int 2020; 96:42-54. [PMID: 32591992 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-020-00555-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the frequency of squamous suture (SqS) obliteration, to estimate the involvement of the major calvarial sutures and those surrounding the temporal squama, and to inspect the neuro- and basicranium for deformities. A series of 211 dry skulls of contemporary adult males were macroscopically observed. The skulls with closed SqS were scanned using an industrial µCT system. Digital morphometry of the skulls with obliterated SqS was performed by recording the 3D coordinates of anatomic landmarks and calculation of linear distances, angles and indices. Obliteration of SqS was observed in 3 (1.42%) skulls. One skull showed bilateral SqS obliteration. The other two cases were unilateral, one right-sided and one left-sided. SqS obliteration seems to be co-ordinated with the closure of the parietomastoid suture, partially related to the closure of the occipitomastoid, sphenoparietal and sphenofrontal sutures, and independent from the closure of the sphenosquamosal suture and the major calvarial sutures. No severe disproportions in the skull configuration were observed in the three investigated cases. The major differences in the complimentary hemicrania concern the parietal and occipital parts of the skull vault. Dorsum sellae erosion, an indicator for raised intracranial pressure, was observed in all three cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silviya Nikolova
- Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology With Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 25, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Diana Toneva
- Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology With Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 25, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolai Lazarov
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Sofia, 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Department of Synaptic Signaling and Communications, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria
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18
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Undetected traumatic diastasis of cranial sutures: a case of child abuse. Forensic Sci Int 2019; 298:307-311. [PMID: 30925349 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic diastasis of cranial sutures is a type of bone fracture more common in children than in adults, but little attention has been paid to this skull damage. Differentiation between inflicted and accidental traumatic head injury is still a challenge in forensic pathology, particularly in pediatric population. In fact, diastasis of cranial sutures may occur with or without other skull fractures and may be the only evidence of an abusive head trauma (AHT). This is a case study dealing with undetected traumatic diastasis of cranial sutures in child abuse. The skeletonized juvenile remains were found inside a suitcase. A diastasis of the coronal and sagittal sutures was the only finding recorded at the autopsy with no other relevant bone defects. The diastasis was originally attributed by the medical examiner to a physiological unfused stage of the calvarial bones. Therefore, the cause of death was undetermined. Twelve years later an anthropological revision of the cold case showed that diastasis of the coronal and sagittal sutures was assessed as the evidence of an AHT. Analysis of skull fractures in child abuse can be challenging as normal skull suture variants mimicking intentional injury are reported. Diastasis of the cranial sutures can be also a post-mortem effect of burning or freezing. Therefore, a differential diagnosis between natural, accidental or inflicted skull defects is mandatory in death investigation. A multidisciplinary approach in such circumstances is strongly recommended in order to reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.
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19
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Roston RA, Roth VL. Cetacean Skull Telescoping Brings Evolution of Cranial Sutures into Focus. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 302:1055-1073. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - V. Louise Roth
- Department of Biology; Duke University; Durham North Carolina
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20
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21
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Savoldi F, Tsoi JK, Paganelli C, Matinlinna JP. The Biomechanical Properties of Human Craniofacial Sutures and Relevant Variables in Sutural Distraction Osteogenesis: A Critical Review. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART B-REVIEWS 2018; 24:25-36. [DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2017.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Savoldi
- Dental Materials Science, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Orthodontics, Dental School, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - James K.H. Tsoi
- Dental Materials Science, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Corrado Paganelli
- Department of Orthodontics, Dental School, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Jukka P. Matinlinna
- Dental Materials Science, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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22
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Esteve-Altava B, Boughner JC, Diogo R, Villmoare BA, Rasskin-Gutman D. Anatomical network analysis shows decoupling of modular lability and complexity in the evolution of the primate skull. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127653. [PMID: 25992690 PMCID: PMC4438065 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Modularity and complexity go hand in hand in the evolution of the skull of primates. Because analyses of these two parameters often use different approaches, we do not know yet how modularity evolves within, or as a consequence of, an also-evolving complex organization. Here we use a novel network theory-based approach (Anatomical Network Analysis) to assess how the organization of skull bones constrains the co-evolution of modularity and complexity among primates. We used the pattern of bone contacts modeled as networks to identify connectivity modules and quantify morphological complexity. We analyzed whether modularity and complexity evolved coordinately in the skull of primates. Specifically, we tested Herbert Simon’s general theory of near-decomposability, which states that modularity promotes the evolution of complexity. We found that the skulls of extant primates divide into one conserved cranial module and up to three labile facial modules, whose composition varies among primates. Despite changes in modularity, statistical analyses reject a positive feedback between modularity and complexity. Our results suggest a decoupling of complexity and modularity that translates to varying levels of constraint on the morphological evolvability of the primate skull. This study has methodological and conceptual implications for grasping the constraints that underlie the developmental and functional integration of the skull of humans and other primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borja Esteve-Altava
- Theoretical Biology Research Group, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, 46071, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Julia C. Boughner
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Rui Diogo
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Brian A. Villmoare
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Diego Rasskin-Gutman
- Theoretical Biology Research Group, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, 46071, Valencia, Spain
- * E-mail:
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23
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BCL11B expression in intramembranous osteogenesis during murine craniofacial suture development. Gene Expr Patterns 2014; 17:16-25. [PMID: 25511173 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Sutures, where neighboring craniofacial bones are separated by undifferentiated mesenchyme, are major growth sites during craniofacial development. Pathologic fusion of bones within sutures occurs in a wide variety of craniosynostosis conditions and can result in dysmorphic craniofacial growth and secondary neurologic deficits. Our knowledge of the genes involved in suture formation is poor. Here we describe the novel expression pattern of the BCL11B transcription factor protein during murine embryonic craniofacial bone formation. We examined BCL11B protein expression at E14.5, E16.5, and E18.5 in 14 major craniofacial sutures of C57BL/6J mice. We found BCL11B expression to be associated with all intramembranous craniofacial bones examined. The most striking aspects of BCL11B expression were its high levels in suture mesenchyme and increasingly complementary expression with RUNX2 in differentiating osteoblasts during development. BCL11B was also expressed in mesenchyme at the non-sutural edges of intramembranous bones. No expression was seen in osteoblasts involved in endochondral ossification of the cartilaginous cranial base. BCL11B is expressed to potentially regulate the transition of mesenchymal differentiation and suture formation within craniofacial intramembranous bone.
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Esteve-Altava B, Rasskin-Gutman D. Beyond the functional matrix hypothesis: a network null model of human skull growth for the formation of bone articulations. J Anat 2014; 225:306-16. [PMID: 24975579 PMCID: PMC4166971 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniofacial sutures and synchondroses form the boundaries among bones in the human skull, providing functional, developmental and evolutionary information. Bone articulations in the skull arise due to interactions between genetic regulatory mechanisms and epigenetic factors such as functional matrices (soft tissues and cranial cavities), which mediate bone growth. These matrices are largely acknowledged for their influence on shaping the bones of the skull; however, it is not fully understood to what extent functional matrices mediate the formation of bone articulations. Aiming to identify whether or not functional matrices are key developmental factors guiding the formation of bone articulations, we have built a network null model of the skull that simulates unconstrained bone growth. This null model predicts bone articulations that arise due to a process of bone growth that is uniform in rate, direction and timing. By comparing predicted articulations with the actual bone articulations of the human skull, we have identified which boundaries specifically need the presence of functional matrices for their formation. We show that functional matrices are necessary to connect facial bones, whereas an unconstrained bone growth is sufficient to connect non-facial bones. This finding challenges the role of the brain in the formation of boundaries between bones in the braincase without neglecting its effect on skull shape. Ultimately, our null model suggests where to look for modified developmental mechanisms promoting changes in bone growth patterns that could affect the development and evolution of the head skeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borja Esteve-Altava
- Theoretical Biology Research Group, Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of ValenciaValencia, Spain
| | - Diego Rasskin-Gutman
- Theoretical Biology Research Group, Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of ValenciaValencia, Spain
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The skull base represents a central and complex bone structure of the skull and forms the floor of the cranial cavity on which the brain lies. Anatomical knowledge of this particular region is important for understanding several pathologic conditions as well as for planning surgical procedures. Embryology of the cranial base is of great interest due to its pronounced impact on the development of adjacent regions including the brain, neck, and craniofacial skeleton. MATERIALS AND METHODS Information from human and comparative anatomy, anthropology, embryology, surgery, and computed modelling was integrated to provide a perspective to interpret skull base formation and variability within the cranial functional and structural system. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The skull base undergoes an elaborate sequence of development stages and represents a key player in skull, face and brain development. Furthering our holistic understanding of the embryology of the skull base promises to expand our knowledge and enhance our ability to treat associated anomalies.
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Bruner E, de la Cuétara JM, Masters M, Amano H, Ogihara N. Functional craniology and brain evolution: from paleontology to biomedicine. Front Neuroanat 2014; 8:19. [PMID: 24765064 PMCID: PMC3980103 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2014.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Anatomical systems are organized through a network of structural and functional relationships among their elements. This network of relationships is the result of evolution, it represents the actual target of selection, and it generates the set of rules orienting and constraining the morphogenetic processes. Understanding the relationship among cranial and cerebral components is necessary to investigate the factors that have influenced and characterized our neuroanatomy, and possible drawbacks associated with the evolution of large brains. The study of the spatial relationships between skull and brain in the human genus has direct relevance in cranial surgery. Geometrical modeling can provide functional perspectives in evolution and brain physiology, like in simulations to investigate metabolic heat production and dissipation in the endocranial form. Analysis of the evolutionary constraints between facial and neural blocks can provide new information on visual impairment. The study of brain form variation in fossil humans can supply a different perspective for interpreting the processes behind neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. Following these examples, it is apparent that paleontology and biomedicine can exchange relevant information and contribute at the same time to the development of robust evolutionary hypotheses on brain evolution, while offering more comprehensive biological perspectives with regard to the interpretation of pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana Burgos, Spain
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