The effects of paralysis on skeletal development in the chick embryo

FACEts of mechanical regulation in the morphogenesis of craniofacial structures

During embryonic development, organs undergo distinct and programmed morphological changes as they develop into their functional forms. While genetics and biochemical signals are well recognized regulators of morphogenesis, mechanical forces and the physical properties of tissues are now emerging as integral parts of this process as well. These physical factors drive coordinated cell movements and reorganizations, shape and size changes, proliferation and differentiation, as well as gene expression changes, and ultimately sculpt any developing structure by guiding correct cellular architectures and compositions. In this review we focus on several craniofacial structures, including the tooth, the mandible, the palate, and the cranium. We discuss the spatiotemporal regulation of different mechanical cues at both the cellular and tissue scales during craniofacial development and examine how tissue mechanics control various aspects of cell biology and signaling to shape a developing craniofacial organ.

Gone Caving: Roles of the Transcriptional Regulators YAP and TAZ in Skeletal Development

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The development of the skeleton is controlled by cellular decisions determined by the coordinated activation of multiple transcription factors. Recent evidence suggests that the transcriptional regulator proteins, Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), could have important roles in directing the activity of these transcriptional programs. However, in vitro evidence for the roles of YAP and TAZ in skeletal cells has been hopelessly contradictory. The goals of this review are to provide a cross-sectional view on the state of the field and to synthesize the available data toward a unified perspective.

RECENT FINDINGS

YAP and TAZ are regulated by diverse upstream signals and interact downstream with multiple transcription factors involved in skeletal development, positioning YAP and TAZ as important signal integration nodes in an hourglass-shaped signaling pathway. Here, we provide a survey of putative transcriptional co-effectors for YAP and TAZ in skeletal cells. Synthesizing the in vitro data, we conclude that TAZ is consistently pro-osteogenic in function, while YAP can exhibit either pro- or anti-osteogenic activity depending on cell type and context. Synthesizing the in vivo data, we conclude that YAP and TAZ combinatorially promote developmental bone formation, bone matrix homeostasis, and endochondral fracture repair by regulating a variety of transcriptional programs depending on developmental stage. Here, we discuss the current understanding of the roles of the transcriptional regulators YAP and TAZ in skeletal development, and provide recommendations for continued study of molecular mechanisms, mechanotransduction, and therapeutic implications for skeletal disease.

Physiological and Behavioral Effects of Exposure to Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Prednisolone During Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryogenesis

The presence of synthetic glucocorticoids within the aquatic environment has been highlighted as a potential environmental concern as they may mimic the role of endogenous glucocorticoids during vertebrate ontogeny. Prednisolone is a commonly prescribed synthetic glucocorticoid which has been repeatedly detected in the environment. This study investigated the impact of environmentally relevant concentrations of prednisolone (0.1, 1, and 10 μg/L) during zebrafish embryogenesis using physiological and behavioral end points which are known to be mediated by endogenous glucocorticoids. The frequency of spontaneous muscle contractions (24 hpf) was significantly reduced by prednisolone and 0.1 μg/L increased the distance embryos swam in response to a mechanosensory stimulus (48 hpf). The percentage of embryos hatched significantly increased following prednisolone treatment (1 and 10 μg/L), while growth and mortality were unaffected. The onset of heart contraction was differentially affected by prednisolone while heart rate and oxygen consumption both increased significantly throughout embryogenesis. No substantial effect on the axial musculature was observed. Morphological changes to the lower jaw were detected at 96 hpf in response to 1 μg/L of prednisolone. Several parameters of swim behavior were also significantly affected. Environmentally relevant concentrations of prednisolone therefore alter early zebrafish ontogeny and significantly affect embryo behavior.

Mechanical influences on morphogenesis of the knee joint revealed through morphological, molecular and computational analysis of immobilised embryos

Very little is known about the regulation of morphogenesis in synovial joints. Mechanical forces generated from muscle contractions are required for normal development of several aspects of normal skeletogenesis. Here we show that biophysical stimuli generated by muscle contractions impact multiple events during chick knee joint morphogenesis influencing differential growth of the skeletal rudiment epiphyses and patterning of the emerging tissues in the joint interzone. Immobilisation of chick embryos was achieved through treatment with the neuromuscular blocking agent Decamethonium Bromide. The effects on development of the knee joint were examined using a combination of computational modelling to predict alterations in biophysical stimuli, detailed morphometric analysis of 3D digital representations, cell proliferation assays and in situ hybridisation to examine the expression of a selected panel of genes known to regulate joint development. This work revealed the precise changes to shape, particularly in the distal femur, that occur in an altered mechanical environment, corresponding to predicted changes in the spatial and dynamic patterns of mechanical stimuli and region specific changes in cell proliferation rates. In addition, we show altered patterning of the emerging tissues of the joint interzone with the loss of clearly defined and organised cell territories revealed by loss of characteristic interzone gene expression and abnormal expression of cartilage markers. This work shows that local dynamic patterns of biophysical stimuli generated from muscle contractions in the embryo act as a source of positional information guiding patterning and morphogenesis of the developing knee joint.

In ovo temperature manipulation influences embryonic motility and growth of limb tissues in the chick (Gallus gallus)

The chick embryo, developing in the egg, is an ideal system in which to investigate the effects of incubation environment on the development of the embryo. We show that raising the temperature of the eggs by just one degree, from 37.5 degrees C to 38.5 degrees C, during embryonic days (ED) 4-7 causes profound changes in development. We demonstrate that embryonic movement is significantly increased in the chicks raised at 38.5 degrees C both during the period in which they are at the higher temperature but also 4 days after their return to the control temperature. Concomitant with this increase in embryonic activity, the embryos raised at higher temperature grow to significantly heavier weights and exhibit significantly longer leg bones (tibia and tarsus) than the controls from ED12 onwards, although mineralization occurs normally. Additionally, the number of leg myonuclei is increased from ED12 in the embryos raised at the higher temperature. This is likely to promote greater leg muscle growth later in development, which may provide postural stability to the chicks posthatch. These changes are similar to those seen when drugs are injected to increase embryonic activity. We therefore believe that the increased embryonic activity provides a mechanism that can explain the increased growth of leg muscle and bone seen when the eggs are incubated for 3 days at higher temperature.

Effect of in ovo immobilization on development of chick hind-limb articular cartilage: An evaluation using micro-MRI measurement of delayed gadolinium uptake

To examine the effect of immobilization on the development of articular cartilage, we assessed glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content in the chick articular surface by delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC). Chick embryos were paralyzed by decamethonium bromide (DMB) from day 10 to either day 13 or day 16. The GAG content of the chick knee was compared with that of nonparalyzed chick embryos. Histologic analysis was unable to quantify GAG content; however, dGEMRIC demonstrated that GAG content was higher in the femoral condyles of the nonparalyzed embryos on day 13, and on day 16 the GAG content was lower in both the femoral condyles and the tibial plateaus of the nonparalyzed embryos. These results suggest that paralysis delays embryonic hind-limb development. Osteoblastic activity at the cartilage canal, as demonstrated by staining for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), was present only in the nonparalyzed chick embryos on day 16. The GAG content of the cartilage decreased when the cartilage canals began to form on day 16. The effect of immobilization on hind-limb development was indicated by the differences in the GAG content of the cartilage anlage measured by dGEMRIC in the developing knee joint of paralyzed and nonparalyzed embryonic chicks.

Adaptation to differential loading: comparison of growth-related changes in cross-sectional properties of the human femur and humerus

Changes in long bone cross-sectional geometry during growth can be influenced by biological and mechanical factors. Here, we assess relationships between cross-sectional geometric properties and length of the human humerus and femur during postnatal growth to test the hypothesis that loading history plays an important role in the development of adult bone morphology. A skeletal sample including 83 paired humeri and femora from individuals between birth and age 30 was examined. Midshaft cross-sectional geometric properties were determined based on computed tomographic scans and the two bones were compared by examining growth trajectories and scaling relationships between the cross-sectional properties and bone length. The growth trajectories for both bones were similar in many respects and showed that increase in length ceased by age 20, whereas increase in cross-sectional properties continued into the third decade of life. When compared to bone length, the cross-sectional geometric properties of the femur and humerus were similar early in postnatal life, but increased at a greater rate in the femur particularly during the first decade of life, leading to divergent adult morphologies. A beam model was developed to predict maximum midshaft strains in each bone as a function of age. The moment acting on the femur was estimated from an analysis of gait in children and the moment acting on the humerus was chosen so that the magnitude of the maximum midshaft strains in the two bones was equivalent in adulthood. With this model, the maximum midshaft strains for the femur were predicted to be higher than for the humerus during the first decade of life. These data support the concept that load history plays an important role in accretion of bone mass during postnatal growth.