1
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Gomez S, Millán JL. Zinc-alkaline phosphatase at sites of aortic calcification. J Mol Histol 2024:10.1007/s10735-024-10207-3. [PMID: 38850447 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-024-10207-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) is a normal trace element in mineralizing tissues, but it is unclear whether it is primarily bound to the mineral phase or to organic molecules involved in the mineralization process, or both. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) is a Zn metalloenzyme with two Zn ions bound to the M1 and M2 catalytic sites that functions to control the phosphate/pyrophosphate ratio during biomineralization. Here, we studied aortas from Tagln-Cre +/-; HprtALP/Y TNAP overexpressor (TNAP-OE) mice that develop severe calcification. Zn histochemistry was performed using the sulfide-silver staining method in combination with a Zn partial extraction procedure to localize mineral-bound (mineral Zn) and TNAP-bound Zn (tenacious Zn), since soluble Zn (loose Zn) is extracted during fixation of the specimens. Two synthetic bone mineral composites with different Zn content, bone ash, and rat epiphyseal growth plate cartilage were used as controls for Zn staining. In order to correlate the distribution of mineral and tenacious Zn with the presence of mineral deposits, the aortas were examined histologically in unstained and stained thin sections using various light microscopy techniques. Our results show that 14 and 30 dpn, TNAP is concentrated in the calcifying matrix and loses Zn as Ca2+ progressively displaces Zn2+ at the M1 and M2 metal sites. Thus, in addition to its catalytic role TNAP has an additional function at calcifying sites as a Ca-binding protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Gomez
- Departamento Anatomía Patológica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Plaza Fragela 9, Cádiz, 11003, Spain.
| | - José Luis Millán
- Sanford Children's Health Research Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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2
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Couoh LR, Bucio L, Ruvalcaba JL, Manoel B, Tang T, Gourrier A, Grandfield K. Tooth acellular extrinsic fibre cementum incremental lines in humans are formed by parallel branched Sharpey's fibres and not by its mineral phase. J Struct Biol 2024; 216:108084. [PMID: 38479547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2024.108084] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
In humans, the growth pattern of the acellular extrinsic fibre cementum (AEFC) has been useful to estimate the age-at-death. However, the structural organization behind such a pattern remains poorly understood. In this study tooth cementum from seven individuals from a Mexican modern skeletal series were analyzed with the aim of unveiling the AEFC collagenous and mineral structure using multimodal imaging approaches. The organization of collagen fibres was first determined using: light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron tomography, and plasma FIB scanning electron microscopy (PFIB-SEM) tomography. The mineral properties were then investigated using: synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for T-parameter (correlation length between mineral particles); synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) for L-parameter (mineral crystalline domain size estimation), alignment parameter (crystals preferred orientation) and lattice parameters a and c; as well as synchrotron X-ray fluorescence for spatial distribution of calcium, phosphorus and zinc. Results show that Sharpey's fibres branched out fibres that cover and uncover other collagen bundles forming aligned arched structures that are joined by these same fibres but in a parallel fashion. The parallel fibres are not set as a continuum on the same plane and when they are superimposed project the AEFC incremental lines due to the collagen birefringence. The orientation of the apatite crystallites is subject to the arrangement of the collagen fibres, and the obtained parameter values along with the elemental distribution maps, revealed this mineral tissue as relatively homogeneous. Therefore, no intrinsic characteristics of the mineral phase could be associated with the alternating AEFC incremental pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes R Couoh
- Dirección de Antropología Física, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Paseo de la Reforma y Gandhi, Chapultepec Polanco 11560, CDMX, México.
| | - Lauro Bucio
- Laboratorio de Cristalofísica y Materiales Naturales, Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, CDMX, México
| | - José Luis Ruvalcaba
- Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias para la Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural, Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, CDMX, México
| | - Britta Manoel
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs 38000, Grenoble, France; Bruker AXS Advanced X-ray Solutions GmbH, Östliche Rheinbrückenstraße 49 76187, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Tengteng Tang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, ON, Canada
| | | | - Kathryn Grandfield
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, ON, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, ON, Canada.
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3
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Dean MC, Garrevoet J, Van Malderen SJM, Santos F, Mirazón Lahr M, Foley R, Le Cabec A. The Distribution and Biogenic Origins of Zinc in the Mineralised Tooth Tissues of Modern and Fossil Hominoids: Implications for Life History, Diet and Taphonomy. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1455. [PMID: 38132281 PMCID: PMC10740576 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Zinc is incorporated into enamel, dentine and cementum during tooth growth. This work aimed to distinguish between the processes underlying Zn incorporation and Zn distribution. These include different mineralisation processes, the physiological events around birth, Zn ingestion with diet, exposure to the oral environment during life and diagenetic changes to fossil teeth post-mortem. Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence (SXRF) was used to map zinc distribution across longitudinal polished ground sections of both deciduous and permanent modern human, great ape and fossil hominoid teeth. Higher resolution fluorescence intensity maps were used to image Zn in surface enamel, secondary dentine and cementum, and at the neonatal line (NNL) and enamel-dentine-junction (EDJ) in deciduous teeth. Secondary dentine was consistently Zn-rich, but the highest concentrations of Zn (range 197-1743 ppm) were found in cuspal, mid-lateral and cervical surface enamel and were similar in unerupted teeth never exposed to the oral environment. Zinc was identified at the NNL and EDJ in both modern and fossil deciduous teeth. In fossil specimens, diagenetic changes were identified in various trace element distributions but only demineralisation appeared to markedly alter Zn distribution. Zinc appears to be tenacious and stable in fossil tooth tissues, especially in enamel, over millions of years.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Christopher Dean
- Centre for Human Evolution Research, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (J.G.); (S.J.M.V.M.)
| | - Stijn J. M. Van Malderen
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (J.G.); (S.J.M.V.M.)
| | - Frédéric Santos
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (F.S.); (A.L.C.)
| | - Marta Mirazón Lahr
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; (M.M.L.); (R.F.)
| | - Robert Foley
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; (M.M.L.); (R.F.)
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (F.S.); (A.L.C.)
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4
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Besnard C, Marie A, Sasidharan S, Harper RA, Shelton RM, Landini G, Korsunsky AM. Synchrotron X-ray Studies of the Structural and Functional Hierarchies in Mineralised Human Dental Enamel: A State-of-the-Art Review. Dent J (Basel) 2023; 11:98. [PMID: 37185477 PMCID: PMC10137518 DOI: 10.3390/dj11040098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hard dental tissues possess a complex hierarchical structure that is particularly evident in enamel, the most mineralised substance in the human body. Its complex and interlinked organisation at the Ångstrom (crystal lattice), nano-, micro-, and macro-scales is the result of evolutionary optimisation for mechanical and functional performance: hardness and stiffness, fracture toughness, thermal, and chemical resistance. Understanding the physical-chemical-structural relationships at each scale requires the application of appropriately sensitive and resolving probes. Synchrotron X-ray techniques offer the possibility to progress significantly beyond the capabilities of conventional laboratory instruments, i.e., X-ray diffractometers, and electron and atomic force microscopes. The last few decades have witnessed the accumulation of results obtained from X-ray scattering (diffraction), spectroscopy (including polarisation analysis), and imaging (including ptychography and tomography). The current article presents a multi-disciplinary review of nearly 40 years of discoveries and advancements, primarily pertaining to the study of enamel and its demineralisation (caries), but also linked to the investigations of other mineralised tissues such as dentine, bone, etc. The modelling approaches informed by these observations are also overviewed. The strategic aim of the present review was to identify and evaluate prospective avenues for analysing dental tissues and developing treatments and prophylaxis for improved dental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Besnard
- MBLEM, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Ali Marie
- MBLEM, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Sisini Sasidharan
- MBLEM, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Robert A. Harper
- School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, 5 Mill Pool Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7EG, West Midlands, UK
| | - Richard M. Shelton
- School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, 5 Mill Pool Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7EG, West Midlands, UK
| | - Gabriel Landini
- School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, 5 Mill Pool Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7EG, West Midlands, UK
| | - Alexander M. Korsunsky
- MBLEM, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, Oxfordshire, UK
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5
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Kierdorf U, Stock SR, Gomez S, Antipova O, Kierdorf H. Distribution, structure, and mineralization of calcified cartilage remnants in hard antlers. Bone Rep 2022; 16:101571. [PMID: 35519288 PMCID: PMC9065892 DOI: 10.1016/j.bonr.2022.101571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Antlers are paired deciduous bony cranial appendages of deer that undergo a regular cycle of growth, death and casting, and constitute the most rapidly growing bones in mammals. Antler growth occurs in an appositional mode and involves a modified form of endochondral ossification. In endochondral bones, calcified cartilage is typically a transient tissue that is eventually completely replaced by bone tissue. We studied the distribution and characteristics of calcified cartilage in hard antlers from three deer species (Capreolus capreolus, Cervus elaphus, Dama dama), i.e., in antlers from which the skin (velvet) had been shed. Remnants of calcified cartilage were regularly present as part of the trabecular framework in the late formed, distal antler portions in all three species, whereas this tissue was largely or completely missing in the more proximal antler portions. The presence of calcified cartilage remnants in the distal antler portions is attributed to the limited antler lifespan of only a few months, which is also the reason for the virtual lack of bone remodeling in antlers. The calcified cartilage matrix was more highly mineralized than the antler bone matrix. Mineralized deposits were observed in some chondrocyte lacunae and occasionally also in osteocyte lacunae, a phenomenon that has not previously been reported in antlers. Using synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) mapping, we further demonstrated increased zinc concentrations in cement lines, along the inner borders of incompletely formed primary osteons, along the walls of partly or completely mineral-occluded chondrocyte and osteocyte lacunae, and in intralacunar mineralized deposits. The present study demonstrates that antlers are a promising model for studying the mineralization of cartilage and bone matrices and the formation of mineralized deposits in chondrocyte and osteocyte lacunae. Remnants of calcified cartilage are regularly present in hard antlers of deer. Preservation of calcified cartilage is caused by the short lifespan of antlers. Calcified cartilage of antlers is more highly mineralized than antler bone. Mineralized deposits were observed in chondrocyte and osteocyte lacunae of antlers. SR-XRF showed increased Zn-concentration in cement lines and intralacunar deposits.
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6
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McCormack MA, McFee WE, Whitehead HR, Piwetz S, Dutton J. Exploring the Use of SEM-EDS Analysis to Measure the Distribution of Major, Minor, and Trace Elements in Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Teeth. Biol Trace Elem Res 2022; 200:2147-2159. [PMID: 34273061 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-021-02809-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Dolphin teeth contain enamel, dentin, and cementum. In dentin, growth layer groups (GLGs), deposited at incremental rates (e.g., annually), are used for aging. Major, minor, and trace elements are incorporated within teeth; their distribution within teeth varies, reflecting tooth function and temporal changes in an individual's exposure. This study used a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to determine the distribution of major (e.g., Ca, P), minor (e.g., Cl, Mg, Na), and trace elements (e.g., Cd, Hg, Pb, Zn) in teeth from 12 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The objective was to compare elemental distributions between enamel and dentin and across GLGs. Across all dolphins and point analyses, the following elements were detected in descending weight percentage (wt %; mean ± SE): O (40.8 ± 0.236), Ca (24.3 ± 0.182), C (14.3 ± 0.409), P (14.0 ± 0.095), Al (4.28 ± 0.295), Mg (1.89 ± 0.047), Na (0.666 ± 0.008), Cl (0.083 ± 0.003). Chlorine and Mg differed between enamel and dentin; Mg increased from the enamel towards the dentin while Cl decreased. The wt % of elements did not vary significantly across the approximate location of the GLGs. Except for Al, which may be due to backscatter from the SEM stub, we did not detect trace elements. Other trace elements, if present, are below the detection limit. Technologies with lower detection limits (e.g., laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)) would be required to confirm the presence and distribution of trace elements in bottlenose dolphin teeth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan A McCormack
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Wayne E McFee
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, 29412, USA
| | | | - Sarah Piwetz
- Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Galveston, TX, 77551, USA
| | - Jessica Dutton
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
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7
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Newham E, Gill PG, Robson Brown K, Gostling NJ, Corfe IJ, Schneider P. A robust, semi-automated approach for counting cementum increments imaged with synchrotron X-ray computed tomography. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249743. [PMID: 34735460 PMCID: PMC8568193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249743] [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: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cementum, the tissue attaching mammal tooth roots to the periodontal ligament, grows appositionally throughout life, displaying a series of circum-annual incremental features. These have been studied for decades as a direct record of chronological lifespan. The majority of previous studies on cementum have used traditional thin-section histological methods to image and analyse increments. However, several caveats have been raised in terms of studying cementum increments in thin-sections. Firstly, the limited number of thin-sections and the two-dimensional perspective they impart provide an incomplete interpretation of cementum structure, and studies often struggle or fail to overcome complications in increment patterns that complicate or inhibit increment counting. Increments have been repeatedly shown to both split and coalesce, creating accessory increments that can bias increment counts. Secondly, identification and counting of cementum increments using human vision is subjective, and it has led to inaccurate readings in several experiments studying individuals of known age. Here, we have attempted to optimise a recently introduced imaging modality for cementum imaging; X-ray propagation-based phase-contrast imaging (PPCI). X-ray PPCI was performed for a sample of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) lower first molars (n = 10) from a laboratory population of known age. PPCI allowed the qualitative identification of primary/annual versus intermittent secondary increments formed by splitting/coalescence. A new method for semi-automatic increment counting was then integrated into a purpose-built software package for studying cementum increments, to count increments in regions with minimal complications. Qualitative comparison with data from conventional cementochronology, based on histological examination of tissue thin-sections, confirmed that X-ray PPCI reliably and non-destructively records cementum increments (given the appropriate preparation of specimens prior to X-ray imaging). Validation of the increment counting algorithm suggests that it is robust and provides accurate estimates of increment counts. In summary, we show that our new increment counting method has the potential to overcome caveats of conventional cementochronology approaches, when used to analyse three-dimensional images provided by X-ray PPCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elis Newham
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela G. Gill
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Robson Brown
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Neil J. Gostling
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ian J. Corfe
- Developmental Biology Program, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, Finland
| | - Philipp Schneider
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- High-Performance Vision Systems, Center for Vision, Automation & Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
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8
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Evidence for early dispersal of domestic sheep into Central Asia. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5:1169-1179. [PMID: 33833423 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01083-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The development and dispersal of agropastoralism transformed the cultural and ecological landscapes of the Old World, but little is known about when or how this process first impacted Central Asia. Here, we present archaeological and biomolecular evidence from Obishir V in southern Kyrgyzstan, establishing the presence of domesticated sheep by ca. 6,000 BCE. Zooarchaeological and collagen peptide mass fingerprinting show exploitation of Ovis and Capra, while cementum analysis of intact teeth implicates possible pastoral slaughter during the fall season. Most significantly, ancient DNA reveals these directly dated specimens as the domestic O. aries, within the genetic diversity of domesticated sheep lineages. Together, these results provide the earliest evidence for the use of livestock in the mountains of the Ferghana Valley, predating previous evidence by 3,000 years and suggesting that domestic animal economies reached the mountains of interior Central Asia far earlier than previously recognized.
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9
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Newham E, Corfe IJ, Brown KR, Gostling NJ, Gill PG, Schneider P. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray tomography reveals life history in primate cementum incrementation. J R Soc Interface 2020; 17:20200538. [PMID: 33234064 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cementum is a mineralized dental tissue common to mammals that grows throughout life, following a seasonally appositional rhythm. Each year, one thick translucent increment and one thin opaque increment is deposited, offering a near-complete record of an animal's life history. Male and female mammals exhibit significant differences in oral health, due to the contrasting effects of female versus male sex hormones. Oestrogen and progesterone have a range of negative effects on oral health that extends to the periodontium and cementum growth interface. Here, we use synchrotron radiation-based X-ray tomography to image the cementum of a sample of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) teeth from individuals of known life history. We found that increased breeding history in females corresponds with increased increment tortuosity and less organized cementum structure, when compared to male and juvenile cementum. We quantified structural differences by measuring the greyscale 'texture' of cementum and comparing results using principal components analysis. Adult females and males occupy discrete regions of texture space with no overlap. Females with known pregnancy records also have significantly different cementum when compared with non-breeding and juvenile females. We conclude that several aspects of cementum structure and texture may reflect differences in sexual life history in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elis Newham
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Ian J Corfe
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, Finland
| | - Kate Robson Brown
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Neil J Gostling
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Pamela G Gill
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Earth Science Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Philipp Schneider
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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10
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Newham E, Gill PG, Brewer P, Benton MJ, Fernandez V, Gostling NJ, Haberthür D, Jernvall J, Kankaanpää T, Kallonen A, Navarro C, Pacureanu A, Richards K, Brown KR, Schneider P, Suhonen H, Tafforeau P, Williams KA, Zeller-Plumhoff B, Corfe IJ. Reptile-like physiology in Early Jurassic stem-mammals. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5121. [PMID: 33046697 PMCID: PMC7550344 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18898-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite considerable advances in knowledge of the anatomy, ecology and evolution of early mammals, far less is known about their physiology. Evidence is contradictory concerning the timing and fossil groups in which mammalian endothermy arose. To determine the state of metabolic evolution in two of the earliest stem-mammals, the Early Jurassic Morganucodon and Kuehneotherium, we use separate proxies for basal and maximum metabolic rate. Here we report, using synchrotron X-ray tomographic imaging of incremental tooth cementum, that they had maximum lifespans considerably longer than comparably sized living mammals, but similar to those of reptiles, and so they likely had reptilian-level basal metabolic rates. Measurements of femoral nutrient foramina show Morganucodon had blood flow rates intermediate between living mammals and reptiles, suggesting maximum metabolic rates increased evolutionarily before basal metabolic rates. Stem mammals lacked the elevated endothermic metabolism of living mammals, highlighting the mosaic nature of mammalian physiological evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elis Newham
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. .,Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
| | - Pamela G Gill
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. .,Earth Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.
| | - Philippa Brewer
- Earth Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | | | - Vincent Fernandez
- Core Research Laboratories, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.,ESRF, The European Synchrotron, Grenoble, France
| | - Neil J Gostling
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - David Haberthür
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland.,Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jukka Jernvall
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuomas Kankaanpää
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aki Kallonen
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Charles Navarro
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | | | - Kate Robson Brown
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Philipp Schneider
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Heikki Suhonen
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Katherine A Williams
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Berit Zeller-Plumhoff
- Institute for Materials Research, Division of Metallic Biomaterials, Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht, Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Ian J Corfe
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. .,Geomaterials and Applied Mineralogy group, Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, Finland.
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11
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Brister EY, Vasi Z, Antipova O, Robinson A, Tan X, Agarwal A, Stock SR, Carriero A, Richter CP. X-ray fluorescence microscopy: A method of measuring ion concentrations in the ear. Hear Res 2020; 391:107948. [PMID: 32283439 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
This technical note describes synchrotron x-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) as a method for measuring the concentrations of different elements in cross-sections of the ear at extremely high resolution. This method could be of great importance for addressing many open questions in hearing research. XFM uses synchrotron radiation to evoke emissions from many biologically relevant elements in the tissue. The intensity and wavelength of the emitted radiation provide a fingerprint of the tissue composition that can be used to measure the concentration of the elements in the sampled location. Here, we focus on energies that target biologically-relevant elements of the periodic table between magnesium and zinc. Since a highly focused x-ray beam is used, the spot size is well below 1 μm and the samples can be scanned at a nanometer lateral resolution. This study shows that measurement of the concentrations of different elements is possible in a mid-modiolar cross-section of a mouse cochlea. Images are presented that indicate potassium and chloride "hot spots" in the spiral ligament and the spiral limbus, providing experimental evidence for the potassium recycling pathway and showing the cochlear structures involved. Scans of a section obtained from the incus, one of the middle ear ossicles, in a developing mouse have shown that zinc is not uniformly distributed This supports the hypothesis that zinc plays a special role in the process of ossification. Although limited by sophisticated sample preparation and sectioning, the method provides ample exciting opportunities, to understand the role of genetics and epigenetics on hearing mechanisms in ontogeny and phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Y Brister
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Zahra Vasi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, IL, United States
| | - Olga Antipova
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, United States
| | - Alan Robinson
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Xiaodong Tan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Aditi Agarwal
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Stuart R Stock
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alessandra Carriero
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, NY, United States
| | - Claus-Peter Richter
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States; The Hugh Knowles Center, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States.
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12
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Clark CT, Horstmann L, Misarti N. Zinc concentrations in teeth of female walruses reflect the onset of reproductive maturity. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa029. [PMID: 32308984 PMCID: PMC7154182 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Age at maturity is an important parameter in many demographic models and, for some species, can be difficult to obtain using traditional methods. Incremental growth structures act as biological archives, recording information throughout an organism's life and possibly allowing for the reconstruction of life history events. Concentrations of zinc (Zn) in animal tissues are known to be linked to life history, physiology and reproduction and may be retained in incremental growth structures. This study reconstructed lifetime Zn concentrations in teeth (n = 93) of female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) collected from 1932-2016. Zn displayed a characteristic pattern of accumulation, with a change point marking the beginning of a lifelong, linear increase in Zn concentrations. We hypothesized that this change point marks the onset of reproductive maturity. The age at which the change point occurred (agecp) was estimated by counting tooth cementum growth layers. These estimates closely matched literature values of timing of first ovulation in female walruses. Total number of ovulations (estimated from ovary corpora counts from paired tooth/ovary specimens) was closely related to reproductive lifespan (total lifespan - agecp; R2 = 0.70). Further, agecp tracked changes in Pacific walrus population size as a proportion of carrying capacity, decreasing when the population was depleted by commercial hunting and peaking when carrying capacity was exceeded. This novel approach will aid walrus management, and is likely applicable to other species, offering a potentially powerful tool for research, management and conservation of wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey T Clark
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1764 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860, USA
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2150 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA
- Joint Institute for the Study of Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington, 3737 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
| | - Lara Horstmann
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2150 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA
| | - Nicole Misarti
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1764 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860, USA
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Mani-Caplazi G, Hotz G, Wittwer-Backofen U, Vach W. Measuring incremental line width and appearance in the tooth cementum of recent and archaeological human teeth to identify irregularities: First insights using a standardized protocol. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2019; 27:24-37. [PMID: 31550620 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.07.003] [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: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Irregular incremental lines (ILs) in the tooth cementum were previously associated with pregnancy and certain diseases. This study aims to identify irregular ILs and assess their patterns and reproducibility. MATERIALS 24 recent and 32 archaeological teeth from the nineteenth century with known birth history. METHODS Histological sections of tooth roots were microscopically assessed. The width and appearance of 16,605 ILs were measured according to a standardized protocol. RESULTS Irregular appearing ILs were present in earlier deposited ILs, which correspond to younger years in life. Irregular appearances decreased as the IL number increased, whereas irregular width was spread evenly across all ILs. Within-section reproducibility was relatively high for irregular appearance (intra class correlation close to 0.70 in recent and archaeological teeth) and irregular width (intra class correlation: recent: 0.49; archaeological: 0.58), whereas the across-section reproducibility was moderate. CONCLUSIONS Irregular width and appearance in ILs were identified successfully with within-section reproducibility. The moderate reproducibility across sections needs to be addressed in further studies by more systematic sampling of sections. SIGNIFICANCE The proposed protocol identifies irregularities in a reproducible manner and may suggest that irregular ILs could be used in paleopathology to identify pregnancies and diseases. LIMITATIONS The correlation between the identified irregular ILs and known pregnancies has not been assessed as part of this study. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH The identified irregular ILs need to be validated by correlating them with known life history data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Mani-Caplazi
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Gerhard Hotz
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland; Natural History Museum of Basel, Anthropological Collection, Switzerland
| | | | - Werner Vach
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland; Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
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14
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Dean MC, Spiers KM, Garrevoet J, Le Cabec A. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping of Ca, Sr and Zn at the neonatal line in human deciduous teeth reflects changing perinatal physiology. Arch Oral Biol 2019; 104:90-102. [PMID: 31176148 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2019.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our first objective was to review the evidence describing the appearance and microstructure of the neonatal line in human deciduous teeth and to link this with known changes in neonatal physiology occurring at and around birth. A second objective was to explore ways to improve identification of the neonatal line by mapping the pre- and postnatal distribution of Ca, Sr and Zn in deciduous cuspal enamel and superimposing these maps onto transmitted light micrographs that included a clear true section of the neonatal line. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence to map elemental distributions in pre- and postnatal enamel and dentine. Two deciduous canines and 5 deciduous molars were scanned with an X-ray beam monochromatised to 17.0 keV at either 10.0, 2.5 or 1.0 μm resolution and 10 ms integration time. RESULTS Calcium maps distinguished enamel and dentine but did not clearly demarcate tissues formed pre- or postnatally. Strontium maps reflected presumed pre- and postnatal maternal serum levels and what are likely to be diet-dependent regions of Sr enrichment or depletion. Prenatal Zn maps, particularly for dentine, mirror elevated levels in the fetus and in colostrum during the first few days of life. CONCLUSIONS The neonatal line, enamel dentine junction and surface enamel were all Zn-rich. Within the neonatal line Zn may be associated with increased crystallinity but also with caries resistance, both of which have been reported previously. Elemental mapping may improve the identification of ambiguous NNLs and so be useful in forensic and archaeological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Christopher Dean
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Department of Earth Sciences, Centre for Human Evolution Research, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Kathryn M Spiers
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
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15
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Dean C, Le Cabec A, Spiers K, Zhang Y, Garrevoet J. Incremental distribution of strontium and zinc in great ape and fossil hominin cementum using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:20170626. [PMID: 29321271 PMCID: PMC5805964 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cementum and the incremental markings it contains have been widely studied as a means of ageing animals and retrieving information about diet and nutrition. The distribution of trace elements in great ape and fossil hominin cementum has not been studied previously. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) enables rapid scanning of large tissue areas with high resolution of elemental distributions. First, we used SXRF to map calcium, phosphorus, strontium and zinc distributions in great ape dentine and cementum. At higher resolution, we compared zinc and strontium distributions in cellular and acellular cementum in regions where clear incremental markings were expressed. We then mapped trace element distributions in fossil hominin dentine and cementum from the 1.55-1.65 million year old site of Koobi Fora, Kenya. Zinc, in particular, is a precise marker of cementum increments in great apes, and is retained in fossil hominin cementum, but does not correspond well with the more diffuse fluctuations observed in strontium distribution. Cementum is unusual among mineralized tissues in retaining so much zinc. This is known to reduce the acid solubility of hydroxyapatite and so may confer resistance to resorption by osteoclasts in the dynamic remodelling environment of the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dean
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kathryn Spiers
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Yi Zhang
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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