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Martinez Q, Amson E, Ruf I, Smith TD, Pirot N, Broyon M, Lebrun R, Captier G, Gascó Martín C, Ferreira G, Fabre PH. Turbinal bones are still one of the last frontiers of the tetrapod skull: hypotheses, challenges and perspectives. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 39092480 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13122] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Turbinals are bony or cartilaginous structures that are present in the nasal cavity of most tetrapods. They are involved in key functions such as olfaction, heat, and moisture conservation, as well as protection of the respiratory tract. Despite recent studies that challenged long-standing hypotheses about their physiological and genomic correlation, turbinals remain largely unexplored, particularly for non-mammalian species. Herein, we review and synthesise the current knowledge of turbinals using an integrative approach that includes comparative anatomy, physiology, histology and genomics. In addition, we provide synonyms and correspondences of tetrapod turbinals from about 80 publications. This work represents a first step towards drawing hypotheses of homology for the whole clade, and provides a strong basis to develop new research avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Martinez
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution (ISEM, UMR 5554 CNRS-IRD-UM), Université de Montpellier, Place E. Bataillon-CC 064 - 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Stuttgart, DE-70191, Germany
| | - Eli Amson
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Stuttgart, DE-70191, Germany
| | - Irina Ruf
- Abteilung Messelforschung und Mammalogie, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
- Institut für Geowissenschaften, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, 60438, Germany
- Research Center of Paleontology and Stratigraphy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130026, China
| | - Timothy D Smith
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA, 16057, USA
| | - Nelly Pirot
- BioCampus Montpellier (BCM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, 34090, France
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Université de Montpellier, Institut du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), INSERM, Montpellier, 34298, France
| | - Morgane Broyon
- BioCampus Montpellier (BCM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, 34090, France
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Université de Montpellier, Institut du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), INSERM, Montpellier, 34298, France
| | - Renaud Lebrun
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution (ISEM, UMR 5554 CNRS-IRD-UM), Université de Montpellier, Place E. Bataillon-CC 064 - 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Guillaume Captier
- Laboratoire d'anatomie, UFR médecine, Université Montpellier, Montpellier, 34060, France
- Département chirurgie pédiatrique, CHU Montpellier, université Montpellier, Montpellier, 34295, France
| | | | - Gabriel Ferreira
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, 727074, Germany
- Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Sciences, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, 727074, Germany
| | - Pierre-Henri Fabre
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution (ISEM, UMR 5554 CNRS-IRD-UM), Université de Montpellier, Place E. Bataillon-CC 064 - 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
- Mammal Section, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5DB, UK
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, 75231, France
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Mammalogy), American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West, 79th St, New York, NY, 10024-5192, USA
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2
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Byrum SR, Frazier BS, Grubbs RD, Naylor GJP, Fraser GJ. Embryonic development in the bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), a viviparous hammerhead shark. Dev Dyn 2024; 253:351-362. [PMID: 37767812 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.658] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hammerhead sharks (family Sphyrnidae) are an immediately recognizable group of sharks due to their unique head shape. Though there has long been an interest in hammerhead development, there are currently no explicit staging tables published for any members of the group. The bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo is the smallest member of Sphyrnidae and is abundant in estuarine and nearshore waters in the Gulf of Mexico and Western North Atlantic Ocean. Due to their relative abundance, close proximity to shore, and brief gestation period, it has been possible to collect and document multiple embryonic specimens at progressive stages of development. RESULTS We present the first comprehensive embryonic staging series for the Bonnethead, a viviparous hammerhead shark. Our stage series covers a period of development from stages that match the vertebrate phylotypic period, from Stage 23, through stages of morphological divergence to complete development at birth-Stage 35). Notably, we use a variety of techniques to document crucial stages that lead to their extreme craniofacial diversity, resulting in the formation of one of the most distinctive characters of any shark species, the cephalofoil or hammer-like head. CONCLUSION Documenting the development of hard-to-access vertebrates, like this viviparous shark species, offers important information about how new and diverse morphologies arise that otherwise may remain poorly studied. This work will serve as a platform for future comparative developmental research both within sharks and across the phylogeny of vertebrates, underpinning the extreme potential of craniofacial development and morphological diversity in vertebrate animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven R Byrum
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Bryan S Frazier
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - R Dean Grubbs
- Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory, St. Teresa, Florida, USA
| | | | - Gareth J Fraser
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Josemans SH, van der Post AS, Strijkers GJ, Dawood Y, van den Hoff MJB, Jens SRJ, Obdeijn MC, Oostra RJ, Maas M. Ultra-high-field MRI of postmortem human fetal wrist joints: initial experience. Eur Radiol Exp 2023; 7:28. [PMID: 37271766 DOI: 10.1186/s41747-023-00341-0] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to assess the feasibility of postmortem ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging (UHF-MRI) to study fetal musculoskeletal anatomy and explore the contribution of variation in iodine and formaldehyde (paraformaldehyde, PFA) treatment of tissue. METHODS Seven upper extremities from human fetuses with gestational ages of 19 to 24 weeks were included in this experimental study, approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee. The specimens were treated with various storage (0.2-4% PFA) and staining (Lugol's solution) protocols and the wrist joint was subsequently imaged with 7.0 T UHF-MRI. Soft-tissue contrast was quantified by determining regions of interest within a chondrified carpal bone (CCB) from the proximal row, the triangular fibrocartilage (TFC), and the pronator quadratus muscle (PQM) and calculating the contrast ratios (CRs) between mean signal intensities of CCB to TFC and CCB to PQM. RESULTS UHF-MRI showed excellent soft-tissue contrast in different musculoskeletal tissues. Increasing storage time in 4% PFA, CRs decreased, resulting in a shift from relatively hyperintense to hypointense identification of the CCB. Storage in 0.2% PFA barely influenced the CRs over time. Lugol's solution caused an increase in CRs and might have even contributed to the inversion of the CRs. CONCLUSIONS UHF-MRI is a feasible technique to image musculoskeletal structures in fetal upper extremities and most successful after short storage in 4% PFA or prolonged storage in 0.2% PFA. The use of Lugol's solution is not detrimental on soft-tissue MRI contrast and therefore enables effectively combining UHF-MRI with contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography using a single preparation of the specimen. RELEVANCE STATEMENT UHF-MRI can be performed after CE-micro-CT to take advantage of both techniques. KEY POINTS • UHF-MRI is feasible to study human fetal cartilaginous and ligamentous anatomy. • Storage in low PFA concentrations (i.e., 0.2%) improves soft-tissue contrast in UHF-MRI. • Limited preservation time in high concentrations of PFA improves soft-tissue contrast in UHF-MRI. • Prior staining with Lugol's solution does not reduce soft-tissue contrast in UHF-MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine H Josemans
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Sophie van der Post
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Sports and Musculoskeletal Health, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Gustav J Strijkers
- Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yousif Dawood
- Medical Biology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sjoerd R J Jens
- Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands
| | - Miryam C Obdeijn
- Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roelof-Jan Oostra
- Medical Biology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mario Maas
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Sports and Musculoskeletal Health, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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OCT Meets micro-CT: A Subject-Specific Correlative Multimodal Imaging Workflow for Early Chick Heart Development Modeling. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2022; 9:jcdd9110379. [DOI: 10.3390/jcdd9110379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural and Doppler velocity data collected from optical coherence tomography have already provided crucial insights into cardiac morphogenesis. X-ray microtomography and other ex vivo methods have elucidated structural details of developing hearts. However, by itself, no single imaging modality can provide comprehensive information allowing to fully decipher the inner workings of an entire developing organ. Hence, we introduce a specimen-specific correlative multimodal imaging workflow combining OCT and micro-CT imaging which is applicable for modeling of early chick heart development—a valuable model organism in cardiovascular development research. The image acquisition and processing employ common reagents, lab-based micro-CT imaging, and software that is free for academic use. Our goal is to provide a step-by-step guide on how to implement this workflow and to demonstrate why those two modalities together have the potential to provide new insight into normal cardiac development and heart malformations leading to congenital heart disease.
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Handschuh S, Glösmann M. Mouse embryo phenotyping using X-ray microCT. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:949184. [PMID: 36187491 PMCID: PMC9523164 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.949184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Microscopic X-ray computed tomography (microCT) is a structural ex vivo imaging technique providing genuine isotropic 3D images from biological samples at micron resolution. MicroCT imaging is non-destructive and combines well with other modalities such as light and electron microscopy in correlative imaging workflows. Protocols for staining embryos with X-ray dense contrast agents enable the acquisition of high-contrast and high-resolution datasets of whole embryos and specific organ systems. High sample throughput is achieved with dedicated setups. Consequently, microCT has gained enormous importance for both qualitative and quantitative phenotyping of mouse development. We here summarize state-of-the-art protocols of sample preparation and imaging procedures, showcase contemporary applications, and discuss possible pitfalls and sources for artefacts. In addition, we give an outlook on phenotyping workflows using microscopic dual energy CT (microDECT) and tissue-specific contrast agents.
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6
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Handschuh S, Okada CTC, Walter I, Aurich C, Glösmann M. An optimized workflow for
microCT
imaging of formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded (
FFPE
) early equine embryos. Anat Histol Embryol 2022; 51:611-623. [PMID: 35851500 PMCID: PMC9542120 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Here, we describe a workflow for high‐detail microCT imaging of formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) equine embryos recovered on Day 34 of pregnancy (E34), a period just before placenta formation. The presented imaging methods are suitable for large animals' embryos with intention to study morphological and developmental aspects, but more generally can be adopted for all kinds of FFPE tissue specimens. Microscopic 3D imaging techniques such as microCT are important tools for detecting and studying normal embryogenesis and developmental disorders. To date, microCT imaging of vertebrate embryos was mostly done on embryos that have been stained with an X‐ray dense contrast agent. Here, we describe an alternative imaging procedure that allows to visualize embryo morphology and organ development in unstained FFPE embryos. Two aspects are critical for high‐quality data acquisition: (i) a proper sample mounting leaving as little as possible paraffin around the sample and (ii) an image filtering pipeline that improves signal‐to‐noise ratio in these inherently low‐contrast data sets. The presented workflow allows overview imaging of the whole embryo proper and can be used for determination of organ volumes and development. Furthermore, we show that high‐resolution interior tomographies can provide virtual histology information from selected regions of interest. In addition, we demonstrate that microCT scanned embryos remain intact during the scanning procedure allowing for a subsequent investigation by routine histology and/or immunohistochemistry. This makes the presented workflow applicable also to archival paraffin‐embedded material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Handschuh
- VetCore Facility for Research/Imaging Unit University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Carolina T. C. Okada
- Platform Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer Department for Small Animals and Horses University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Ingrid Walter
- VetCore Facility for Research/VetBiobank University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
- Institute of Morphology University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Christine Aurich
- Platform Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer Department for Small Animals and Horses University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Martin Glösmann
- VetCore Facility for Research/Imaging Unit University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
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7
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Pierantoni M, Le Cann S, Sotiriou V, Ahmed S, Bodey AJ, Jerjen I, Nowlan NC, Isaksson H. Muscular loading affects the 3D structure of both the mineralized rudiment and growth plate at early stages of bone formation. Bone 2021; 145:115849. [PMID: 33454374 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.115849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Fetal immobilization affects skeletal development and can lead to severe malformations. Still, how mechanical load affects embryonic bone formation is not fully elucidated. This study combines mechanobiology, image analysis and developmental biology, to investigate the structural effects of muscular loading on embryonic long bones. We present a novel approach involving a semi-automatic workflow, to study the spatial and temporal evolutions of both hard and soft tissues in 3D without any contrast agent at micrometrical resolution. Using high-resolution phase-contrast-enhanced X-ray synchrotron microtomography, we compare the humeri of Splotch-delayed embryonic mice lacking skeletal muscles with healthy littermates. The effects of skeletal muscles on bone formation was studied from the first stages of mineral deposition (Theiler Stages 23 and 24) to just before birth (Theiler Stage 27). The results show that muscle activity affects both growth plate and mineralized regions, especially during early embryonic development. When skeletal muscles were absent, there was reduced mineralization, altered tuberosity size and location, and, at early embryonic stages, decreased chondrocyte density, size and elongation compared to littermate controls. The proposed workflow enhances our understanding of mechanobiology of early bone formation and could be implemented for the study of other complex biological tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pierantoni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
| | - Sophie Le Cann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Vivien Sotiriou
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Saima Ahmed
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | | | - Iwan Jerjen
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Niamh C Nowlan
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Hanna Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
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8
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Butterfield NC, Curry KF, Steinberg J, Dewhurst H, Komla-Ebri D, Mannan NS, Adoum AT, Leitch VD, Logan JG, Waung JA, Ghirardello E, Southam L, Youlten SE, Wilkinson JM, McAninch EA, Vancollie VE, Kussy F, White JK, Lelliott CJ, Adams DJ, Jacques R, Bianco AC, Boyde A, Zeggini E, Croucher PI, Williams GR, Bassett JHD. Accelerating functional gene discovery in osteoarthritis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:467. [PMID: 33473114 PMCID: PMC7817695 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20761-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis causes debilitating pain and disability, resulting in a considerable socioeconomic burden, yet no drugs are available that prevent disease onset or progression. Here, we develop, validate and use rapid-throughput imaging techniques to identify abnormal joint phenotypes in randomly selected mutant mice generated by the International Knockout Mouse Consortium. We identify 14 genes with functional involvement in osteoarthritis pathogenesis, including the homeobox gene Pitx1, and functionally characterize 6 candidate human osteoarthritis genes in mouse models. We demonstrate sensitivity of the methods by identifying age-related degenerative joint damage in wild-type mice. Finally, we phenotype previously generated mutant mice with an osteoarthritis-associated polymorphism in the Dio2 gene by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and demonstrate a protective role in disease onset with public health implications. We hope this expanding resource of mutant mice will accelerate functional gene discovery in osteoarthritis and offer drug discovery opportunities for this common, incapacitating chronic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C Butterfield
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Katherine F Curry
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Julia Steinberg
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
| | - Hannah Dewhurst
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Davide Komla-Ebri
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Naila S Mannan
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Anne-Tounsia Adoum
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Victoria D Leitch
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - John G Logan
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Julian A Waung
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Elena Ghirardello
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Lorraine Southam
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Scott E Youlten
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales Medicine, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - J Mark Wilkinson
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
- Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing and Sheffield Healthy Lifespan Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Elizabeth A McAninch
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | | | - Fiona Kussy
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Jacqueline K White
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA
| | | | - David J Adams
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Richard Jacques
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK
| | - Antonio C Bianco
- Section of Adult and Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Alan Boyde
- Dental Physical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Eleftheria Zeggini
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Peter I Croucher
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research and St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales Medicine, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Graham R Williams
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - J H Duncan Bassett
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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9
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Pitirri MK, Kawasaki K, Richtsmeier JT. It takes two: Building the vertebrate skull from chondrocranium and dermatocranium. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 2020; 70:587-600. [PMID: 33163116 PMCID: PMC7644101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In most modern bony vertebrates, a considerable portion of the chondrocranium remains cartilaginous only during a relatively small window of embryonic development, making it difficult to study this complex structure. Yet, the transient nature of some chondrocranial elements is precisely why it is so intriguing. Since the chondrocranium has never been lost in any vertebrate, its function is critical to craniofacial development, disease, and evolution. Experimental evidence for the various roles of the chondrocranium is limited, and though snapshots of chondrocranial development in various species at isolated time points are valuable and informative, these cannot provide the data needed to determine the functions of the chondrocranium, or its relationship to the dermatocranium in evolution, in development, or in disease. Observations of the spatiotemporal associations of chondrocranial cartilage, cartilage bone, and dermal bone over early developmental time are available for many vertebrate species and these observations represent the data from which we can build hypotheses. The testing of those hypotheses requires precise control of specific variables like developmental time and molecular signaling that can only be accomplished in a laboratory setting. Here, we employ recent advances in contrast-enhanced micro computed tomography to provide novel 3D reconstructions of the embryonic chondrocranium in relation to forming dermal and cartilage bones in laboratory mice across three embryonic days (E13.5, E14.5, and E15.5). Our observations provide support for the established hypothesis that the vertebrate dermal (exo-) skeleton and endoskeleton evolved as distinct structures and remain distinct. Additionally, we identify spatiotemporal patterning in the development of the lateral wall, roof, and braincase floor of the chondrocranium and the initial mineralization and growth of the bones associated with these cartilages that provides support for the hypothesis that the chondrocranium serves as a scaffold for developing dermatocranial bones. The experimental protocols described and data presented provide tools for further experimental work on chondrocranial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kathleen Pitirri
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kazuhiko Kawasaki
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joan T Richtsmeier
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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