The character of parietal and orbital alterations in the superfamily Hominoidea (families Hominidae [exclusive of Homo] and Hylobotidae).

Parietal external surface disruption routinely referred to as porotic hyperostosis, and orbital alterations (cribra orbitalia), have been attributed to anemia-related bone marrow hyperplasia in humans. A recent study in humans identified that they were actually vascular in nature. Skeletons were examined and epi-illumination surface microscopy was performed on the parietal region and orbit of 156 Hominidae and 123 Hylobotidae to assess if these phenomena were trans-phylogenetic. Trans-cortical channels were recognized on the basis of visualized ectocranial surface defects penetrating the parietal; cribra orbitalia, by alteration of the normally smooth orbital roof appearance. Trans-cortical parietal channels, ranging in size from 20 to 100 µm, are rare in Gorilla and Pan troglodytes and absent in Pan paniscus. They are universally present in adult Pongo abeli and in Hylobatidae, independent of species. Cribra orbitalia was common in Hylobotidae, Pongo pygmaeus and P. abelii, less prevalent in adult P. troglodytes, and not recognized in any Gorilla gorilla or P. paniscus examined. The proliferative form predominated, with the exception of Hylobates concolor and muelleri, in which uncalcified vascular grooves predominated. No correlation was observed between the presence of either trans-cortical channels or cribra orbitalia and fractures, osteoarthritis, or inflammatory arthritis. Parietal alterations observed in apes are trans-cortical channels, analogous to those observed in humans, and do not represent porosity. Similarly, cribra orbitalia in apes is confirmed as vascular in nature. The proliferative form apparently represents calcification of blood vessel walls, indistinguishable from observations in humans. Predominant presence in adults rather than in juveniles suggests that both forms are acquired rather than developmental in derivation. Sex and bone alteration/disease-independence suggests that mechanical, endocrine, and inflammatory phenomena do not contribute to the development of either. Further, independent occurrence of trans-cortical channels and cribra orbitalia suggests that they do not have a shared etiology.

Evaluation of three-dimensional superimposition technique on parietal bone of the puberty beagle dogs.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (a) evaluate the stability of the parietal bone of 6-9 months old beagles and (b) examine whether parietal regional superimposition can provide an atraumatic and effective solution for further maxillary expansion study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six prepubertal 6-month-old male beagles were included. Six miniscrew markers were inserted into the left and right sides of the parietal bone, and two of them were placed bilaterally near the palatal suture. The subjects were scanned with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) at three time points of T0 (6 months old), T1 (7.5 months old) and T2 (9 months old), respectively. All skull models were analyzed by both the miniscrew superimposition and the parietal regional superimposition. RESULTS: The two superimposition methods had no significant difference (p > 0.05) in displacements of miniscrew markers between left and right first premolars (PM1). The maxillary superimposition between T0 and T2 indicated that the length and width of the maxillary as well as the width of the zygoma root increased significantly (p < 0.05), while the height of maxillary had no significant difference (p > 0.05) over the 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: The parietal bone is relatively stable for beagles from 6 months old to 9 months old and thus can be used as a reference region for 3D skull model superimposition of the beagle dog.

The effect of experimental diabetes and glycaemic control on guided bone regeneration: histology and gene expression analyses.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of experimental diabetes and metabolic control on intramembranous bone healing following guided bone regeneration (GBR). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-three Wistar rats were allocated to three experimental groups, healthy (H), uncontrolled diabetes (D) and controlled diabetes (CD). Twenty one days following diabetes induction, a standardised 5-mm defect was created at the mid-portion of each parietal bone. In 75 animals (25H, 25D, 25CD), one defect was treated with an intracranial and extracranial membrane according to the GBR principle, and one defect was left empty (control); five animals per group were then randomly sacrificed at 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 days and processed for decalcified histology. In 18 animals (6H, 6D, 6CD), both defects were treated according to the GBR principle; three animals from each group were then randomly sacrificed at 7 and 15 days of healing and employed for gene expression analysis. RESULTS: Application of the GBR therapeutic principle led to significant bone regeneration even in the D group. However, at 15 and 30 days, the osteogenesis process was impaired by uncontrolled diabetes, as shown by the significant reduction in terms of defect closure (38-42%) and newly formed bone (54-61%) compared to the healthy group. The comparison of the D vs. H group at 15 days of healing yielded the largest number of genes with significantly differential expression, among which various genes associated with the ossification process (bmp4, ltbp4, thra and cd276) were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Uncontrolled diabetes seems to affect early phases of the bone regeneration following GBR. A misregulation of genes and pathways related to cell division, energy production, inflammation and osteogenesis may account for the impaired regeneration process in D rats. Further studies are warranted to optimise the GBR process in this medically compromised patient population.

Recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 and platelet-derived growth factor-BB for localized bone regeneration. Histologic and radiographic outcomes of a rabbit study.

OBJECTIVES: Improvement in localized bone regeneration is needed to avoid the use of autogenous tissue. For that purpose, the use biologic mediators was proposed. The aim was to test whether or not one of two biologic mediators, recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) or recombinant platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF-BB), is superior to the other and to control groups for localized bone regeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four cylinders (height: 5 mm; diameter: 7 mm) were screwed on the parietal and frontal bones at the cranium in 12 rabbits. The cylinders either received (i) deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) mixed rhBMP-2 (DBBM/BMP-2), (ii) DBBM mixed with rhPDGF-BB (DBBM/PDGF), (iii) DBBM (DBBM), and (iv) empty control (control). Rabbits were euthanized at 2 and 8 weeks (n = 6, respectively). Conventional histomorphometric and micro-CT analyses were performed. Parametric linear mixed models were applied for the analyses with Bonferroni correction for the multiple group comparisons. RESULTS: The area of bone regeneration (histology; AAHisto ) at 2 weeks peaked for DBBM (41.91%) with statistically significantly greater values compared to DBBM/PDGF and the control group (P < 0.05). At 8 weeks, mean AAHisto values were 96.29% (DBBM/BMP-2), 46.37% (DBBM/PDFG), 39.66% (DBBM), and 35.98% (control) (DBBM/BMP-2 vs. all groups (P < 0.05)). At 8 weeks, bone regeneration was greatest for DBBM/BMP-2 (35.62%) with statistically significant differences compared to all other groups (P < 0.05). The area of bone regeneration (micro-CT; AAm-CT ) at 2 weeks amounted to 43.87% (DBBM/BMP-2), 42.81% (DBBM/PDFG), 48.71% (DBBM), and 0.96% (control). The control group demonstrated statistically significantly less AAm-CT compared to all groups (P < 0.05). At 8 weeks, mean AAm-CT values were 63.65% (DBBM/BMP-2), 50.21% (DBBM/PDFG), 44.81% (DBBM), and 4.57% (control) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of rhBMP-2 significantly enhanced bone regeneration compared to all other groups including the group with rhPDGF-BB.

The Morphogenesis of Cranial Sutures in Zebrafish.

Using morphological, histological, and TEM analyses of the cranium, we provide a detailed description of bone and suture growth in zebrafish. Based on expression patterns and localization, we identified osteoblasts at different degrees of maturation. Our data confirm that, unlike in humans, zebrafish cranial sutures maintain lifelong patency to sustain skull growth. The cranial vault develops in a coordinated manner resulting in a structure that protects the brain. The zebrafish cranial roof parallels that of higher vertebrates and contains five major bones: one pair of frontal bones, one pair of parietal bones, and the supraoccipital bone. Parietal and frontal bones are formed by intramembranous ossification within a layer of mesenchyme positioned between the dermal mesenchyme and meninges surrounding the brain. The supraoccipital bone has an endochondral origin. Cranial bones are separated by connective tissue with a distinctive architecture of osteogenic cells and collagen fibrils. Here we show RNA in situ hybridization for col1a1a, col2a1a, col10a1, bglap/osteocalcin, fgfr1a, fgfr1b, fgfr2, fgfr3, foxq1, twist2, twist3, runx2a, runx2b, sp7/osterix, and spp1/ osteopontin, indicating that the expression of genes involved in suture development in mammals is preserved in zebrafish. We also present methods for examining the cranium and its sutures, which permit the study of the mechanisms involved in suture patency as well as their pathological obliteration. The model we develop has implications for the study of human disorders, including craniosynostosis, which affects 1 in 2,500 live births.

Toll-Like Receptor 2 Stimulation of Osteoblasts Mediates Staphylococcus Aureus Induced Bone Resorption and Osteoclastogenesis through Enhanced RANKL.

Severe Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections pose an immense threat to population health and constitute a great burden for the health care worldwide. Inter alia, S. aureus septic arthritis is a disease with high mortality and morbidity caused by destruction of the infected joints and systemic bone loss, osteoporosis. Toll-Like receptors (TLRs) are innate immune cell receptors recognizing a variety of microbial molecules and structures. S. aureus recognition via TLR2 initiates a signaling cascade resulting in production of various cytokines, but the mechanisms by which S. aureus causes rapid and excessive bone loss are still unclear. We, therefore, investigated how S. aureus regulates periosteal/endosteal osteoclast formation and bone resorption. S. aureus stimulation of neonatal mouse parietal bone induced ex vivo bone resorption and osteoclastic gene expression. This effect was associated with increased mRNA and protein expression of receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL) without significant change in osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression. Bone resorption induced by S. aureus was abolished by OPG. S. aureus increased the expression of osteoclastogenic cytokines and prostaglandins in the parietal bones but the stimulatory effect of S. aureus on bone resorption and Tnfsf11 mRNA expression was independent of these cytokines and prostaglandins. Stimulation of isolated periosteal osteoblasts with S. aureus also resulted in increased expression of Tnfsf11 mRNA, an effect lost in osteoblasts from Tlr2 knockout mice. S. aureus stimulated osteoclastogenesis in isolated periosteal cells without affecting RANKL-stimulated resorption. In contrast, S. aureus inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast formation in bone marrow macrophages. These data show that S. aureus enhances bone resorption and periosteal osteoclast formation by increasing osteoblast RANKL production through TLR2. Our study indicates the importance of using different in vitro approaches for studies of how S. aureus regulates osteoclastogenesis to obtain better understanding of the complex mechanisms of S. aureus induced bone destruction in vivo.

Association of biparietal diameter growth rate with neurodevelopment in infants with fetal growth restriction.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between neurodevelopmental complications and biparietal diameter (BPD) growth rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients were pregnant women with severe fetal growth restriction (< 5(th) percentile) before 30 weeks who delivered after 24 gestational weeks. We defined poor BPD growth as being at least 50% below the mean growth rate for at least 1 week. We analyzed maternal characteristics, neonatal complication morbidities, perinatal mortality rate, and neurodevelopmental complications in the child at age 2 years (corrected). RESULTS: BPD growth was categorized as normal or poor. Out of 8254 infants, 26 met the above criteria. The poor BPD growth group included 17 infants and the normal BPD growth group included nine infants. The gestational age at delivery was 28.7 (24.7-31.7) weeks in the poor BPD growth group and 28.5 (26.1-32.4) weeks in the normal BPD growth group, showing no significant difference. However, death or neurodevelopmental complications occurred in eight of the 17 infants in the poor BPD growth group, whereas neither death nor neurodevelopmental complications were observed in the normal BPD growth group (p = 0.009). Moreover, in those with poor outcomes, BPD growth rates were consistently below 40% and birth weights were < 700 g. CONCLUSION: BPD growth was associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes, and growth delay as compared with the mean growth rate is a risk factor for poor neurodevelopment.

Pediatric Orbital Depth and Growth: A Radiographic Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Orbital reconstruction requires knowledge of orbital depth in order to prevent optic nerve injury. Numerous analyses of adult orbital dimensions have been undertaken previously in order to characterize this measurement, including skull specimen and computerized tomography studies. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the pediatric orbit. METHODS: The authors used pediatric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in order to quantify the change in orbital depth in relationship to patient age, and to develop methods to estimate and calculate orbital depth for individual pediatric patients. MRIs of the head in normal pediatric patients were reviewed retrospectively. Orbital depths were measured and correlated with age and cephalometric dimensions. In a randomly selected subgroup of patients, measurements were repeated by an independent investigator to determine interobserver reliability. RESULTS: Measurements were obtained in 72 patients ranging from 3 months to 18 years of age (mean=7.8 years). There was a significant exponential relationship between orbital depth and patient age (r=0.81, F(2,69)=143.97, P<0.001). Depth increased more rapidly in the first 6 years of life, but leveled off in the early teen years toward a horizontal asymptote of approximately 45 mm. There was also a significant relationship between orbital depth and the sum of the biparietal width plus the anterior-posterior length (r=0.72, F(2,69)=87.44, P<0.0001). There was high interobserver reliability in measurements between 2 independent investigators (r=0.79, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: In children, orbital depth increases predictably with rising age and increasing head size. Knowledge of this growth curve and the relationship between head size and orbital depth can complement careful surgical dissection to improve safety and efficacy in pediatric orbital reconstructions.

The effects of tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase gene therapy on craniosynostosis and craniofacial morphology in the FGFR2C342Y/+ mouse model of Crouzon craniosynostosis.

OBJECTIVES: Craniosynostosis, the premature fusion of cranial bones, has traditionally been described as a disease of increased bone mineralization. However, multiple mouse models of craniosynostosis display craniosynostosis simultaneously with diminished cranial bone volume and/or density. We propose an alternative hypothesis that craniosynostosis results from abnormal tissue mineralization through the downregulation of tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) enzyme downstream of activating mutations in FGFRs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Neonatal Crouzon (FGFRC342Y/+) and wild-type (FGFR+/+) mice were injected with lentivirus to deliver a recombinant form of TNAP. Mice were sacrificed at 4 weeks postnatal. Serum was collected to test for alkaline phosphatase (AP), phosphorus, and calcium levels. Craniofacial bone fusion and morphology were assessed by micro-computed tomography. RESULTS: Injection with the TNAP lentivirus significantly increased serum AP levels (increased serum AP levels are indicative of efficient transduction and production of the recombinant protein), but results were variable and dependent upon viral lot and the litter of mice injected. Morphological analysis revealed craniofacial form differences for inferior surface (p=0.023) and cranial height (p=0.014) regions between TNAP lentivirus-injected and vehicle-injected Crouzon mice. With each unit increase in AP level, the odds of lambdoid suture fusion decreased by 84.2% and these results came close to statistical significance (p=0.068). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TNAP deficiency may mediate FGFR2-associated craniosynostosis. Future studies should incorporate injection of recombinant TNAP protein, to avoid potential side effects and variable efficacy of lentiviral gene delivery.

Long-term morphological outcomes in nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis: a comparison of 2 techniques.

Correction of scaphocephaly is one of the principle goals of surgery in sagittal craniosynostosis. Reported relapse in head shape after surgery and continued head growth into late adolescence underscores the need for long-term outcomes to be considered when comparing between different surgical approaches in this condition; yet there are relatively few reports of results to 5 years and beyond in the literature. Therefore, a retrospective review was performed of the anthropometric data of 224 patients with sagittal craniosynostosis who underwent primary surgery between 1994 and 2012. During this period, patients underwent either a modified strip craniectomy (MSC) or calvarial remodeling (CR) procedure. Sixty-two patients were treated by MSC and followed up for a mean of 44 months. One hundred sixty-two patients had CR, with follow-up for a mean of 45 months. Overall, 90 patients were seen up to 5 years, and 47 patients to 9 years or more after surgery. The cephalic index (CI) of MSC-treated patients improved from a mean of 67.0 to 72.7, with 31% achieving a CI greater than 75 at one year. Calvarial remodeling was significantly more effective at correcting the scaphocephalic deformity. Patients treated with CR improved from a mean CI of 66.7 to 76.1. Sixty-two percent of the patients achieved a CI greater than 75. In both groups, outcomes were stable throughout follow-up with no significant relapse up to 14 years after surgery.

Effects of induced precocious puberty on cranial growth in female Wistar rats.

This investigation examined the effects of pharmacologically induced precocious puberty on cranial growth in Wistar rats. Forty-eight female newborn Wistar rats were divided into two groups: a control group (C) and an experimental group (E), with four subgroups of six animals each. The time interval from birth until sacrifice differed between the subgroups, and was set at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days. An intramuscular single dose (300 µg) of steroid hormone danazol was administered on day 5 after birth, as a means of inducing precocious puberty. Alizarin (2 mg/100 g) was administered to three animals in each subgroup three days prior to sacrifice. Body mass and dates corresponding to the beginning of the oestrous cycle were recorded. Craniometric measurements were undertaken. Histological analysis using light and fluorescence microscopy was then carried out to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the spheno-occipital synchondrosis and to visualize bone deposition patterns. The results were analysed with a Student's t-test and analysis of variance. Precocious puberty was effectively induced and differences between groups denoted an earlier maturation in the experimental rats. In qualitative analysis, a significant increase of total synchondrosis width was noted only in group E60, in comparison with C60, and an increase in the E90 subgroup cortical bone width compared with the C90 subgroup. Histomorphometrically, a statistical difference between total width values of subgroups E60 (434.3 µm) and C60 (323.5 µm) was detected. However, body mass and macroscopic measurements did not show statistically significant differences. An appropriate model for studying bone growth associated with precocious puberty in Wistar female rats was not achieved using steroid hormone danazol, when evaluated at 30 day intervals.

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-induced craniosynostosis and growth restriction in the immature skeleton.

BACKGROUND: Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) delivered on an absorbable collagen sponge is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved therapy effective at generating bone formation. In pediatric patients for whom other therapeutic options have been exhausted, rhBMP-2 is used off-label to address problematic bony defects. In the skeletally immature patient, the safety of rhBMP-2 therapy remains uncertain. Experiments are needed that investigate the effect of rhBMP-2 on growth and development in clinically relevant models. METHODS: Ten juvenile rabbits underwent creation of a parietal skull defect that was treated with either 0.2 mg/cc rhBMP-2/absorbable collagen sponge or a neutral buffer solution/absorbable collagen sponge. Amalgam markers were placed at suture confluences to track suture separation and skull growth. Cranial growth was assessed radiographically at 10, 25, 42, and 84 days of age. Means and standard deviations for the various craniofacial growth variables were calculated and compared. Mean differences were considered significant for values of p < 0.05. At 84 days, sutures were analyzed by means of micro-computed tomographic scanning and histologic staining. RESULTS: Treatment with rhBMP-2 resulted in fusion of the coronal sutures bilaterally, with variable fusion of the sagittal suture by cephalometric, radiographic, and histologic analysis. There were statistically significant changes to coronal suture growth, sagittal suture growth, skull height, craniofacial length, and intracranial volume (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of rhBMP-2 in this juvenile animal model resulted in skeletal changes that may be undesirable in a clinical setting. The appearance of these fused sutures suggested a direct effect of rhBMP-2. Further work is required to limit the effect of rhBMP-2 to the target defect when used in the immature skeleton.

Novel calcium sulfate space-making devices for bone regeneration: a pilot study.

The feasibility of using preformed calcium sulfate (CS) space-making devices (SMDs) for bone regeneration was explored using a rabbit calvarial model. Twenty-four CS devices were fabricated. Twelve of these were SMDs, which consisted of a domed head that served as the actual space-maker, and a stalk or "tail" portion used to affix the device to the bone. A second set of control devices (CDs) was fabricated that consisted of only the tail portion. CDs were made of medical-grade CS, as were 9 of the SMDs. Six of the CS SMDs were loaded with high or low concentrations of simvastatin. The remaining 3 SMDs were made of a CS/bioactive glass composite. One SMD and 1 CD were implanted bilaterally in the parietal bones of 12 New Zealand White rabbits, which were euthanized 8 weeks following surgery. All implants were well tolerated. In all animals, the side receiving the SMD exhibited greater thickness than did the control sites. The addition of simvastatin resulted in a statistically significant difference in calvarial thickness. The CS/bioactive glass composite also yielded encouraging results. The CS resorbable SMDs are worthy of further investigation.

Fluctuating asymmetry and developmental instability in sagittal craniosynostosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether premature sagittal craniosynostosis is associated with developmental instability in the skull by analyzing fluctuating asymmetry in skull shape. DESIGN: Cranial shape was quantified by collecting coordinate data from landmarks located on three-dimensional reconstructions of preoperative computed tomography (CT) images of 22 children with sagittal craniosynostosis and 22 age-matched controls. A fluctuating asymmetry application of Euclidean distance matrix analysis (EDMA) was used to quantify and compare asymmetry in cranial shape using these landmark data. RESULTS: In contrast to expectations, the sagittal craniosynostosis group did not show a statistically significant increase in the overall level of fluctuating asymmetry relative to the control group. However, we discerned statistically significant localized increases in fluctuating asymmetry in the sagittal craniosynostosis group at pterion and the anterior clinoid processes (alpha = .05). We also determined a significant correlation of fluctuating asymmetry values between the two groups (r = .71). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there is no evidence of a role for system-wide developmental instability in the etiology of nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis. However, the localized evidence of asymmetry at the anterior clinoid processes in the sagittal synostosis group suggests an association with the tracts of dura mater that attach there.

The Bmp pathway in skull vault development.

The Bmp pathway is of critical importance in the development of the skull vault. Analysis of gain and loss of function phenotypes of Bmp pathway effectors, particularly Msx genes, has shown that the Bmp pathway functions in the growth of both mesodermal and neural crest-derived calvarial bones. It is required for the development of the frontal and parietal bones during the interval between the initial osteogenic mesenchymal condensations at E12.5 to the apposition of the paired frontal and parietal bones at E18.5. During postnatal development, forced expression of the Bmp inhibitor, noggin, maintains the patency of sutures, consistent with a role for the Bmp pathway in regulating suture development. The availability of conditional mutants of Bmp ligands, receptors and downstream effectors will make possible an increasingly high resolution analysis of precisely how the Bmp functions in these processes and how aberrations in its activity can contribute to pathological conditions such as familial parietal foramina and craniosynostosis.

Isolated bilateral coronal synostosis: early treatment by peri-fronto-orbital craniectomy.

Early strip craniectomy is commonly used for the treatment of craniosynostosis, but its effect on bilateral coronal synostosis remains disappointing. The technique developed in our institution of early (1-3 months of age) extensive perifrontal craniectomy that provides liberation of the anterior skull base is detailed, and its results in 12 cases of nonsyndromic brachycephaly are presented. Analysis of the growth of the cranial diameters of these children over a mean postoperative period of 10 years revealed a noticeable lengthening of the skull similar to the normal range, whereas no effect was noted on transversal cephalic development. Two patients needed additional surgery for focal correction despite a good morphologic result. The functional outcome was normal in all cases. For a number of carefully selected patients, early peri-fronto-orbital craniectomy provides an excellent result with functional preservation and morphologic improvement in most cases (10/12) in nonsyndromic brachycephaly. Its limited dissection and bleeding, as well as its short operating time, allow to have the procedure at a very young age and do not preclude the possibility of secondary surgery when needed.

Molecular and cellular characterization of mouse calvarial osteoblasts derived from neural crest and paraxial mesoderm.

BACKGROUND: Cranial skeletogenic mesenchyme is derived from two distinct embryonic sources: mesoderm and cranial neural crest. Previous studies have focused on molecular and cellular differences of juvenile and adult osteoblasts. METHODS: To further understand the features of mouse-derived juvenile osteoblasts, the authors separated calvarial osteoblasts by their developmental origins: frontal bone-derived osteoblasts from cranial neural crest, and parietal bone-derived osteoblasts from paraxial mesoderm. Cells were harvested from a total of 120 mice. RESULTS: Interestingly, the authors observed distinct morphologies and proliferation potential of the two populations of osteoblasts. Osteogenic genes such as alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin, collagen I, and Wnt5a, which was recently identified as playing a role in skeletogenesis, were abundantly expressed in parietal bone-derived osteoblasts versus frontal bone-derived osteoblasts. In addition, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor 2, and FGF-18 were more highly expressed in the parietal bone-derived osteoblasts, suggesting a more differentiated phenotype. In contrast, FGF-2, and adhesion molecules osteoblast cadherins and bone morphogenetic protein receptor IB, the bone tissue-specific type receptor were overexpressed in frontal bone-derived osteoblasts compared with parietal bone-derived osteoblasts. CONCLUSIONS: The authors observed that although neural crest-derived osteoblasts represented a population of less differentiated, faster growing cells, they formed bone nodules more rapidly than parietal bone-derived osteoblasts. This in vitro study suggests that embryonic tissue derivations influence postnatal in vitro calvarial osteoblast cell biology.

Cellular dynamics and tissue interactions of the dura mater during head development.

During development and growth of the neurocranium, the dura mater regulates events in the underlying brain and overlying skull by the release of soluble factors and cellular activity. Morphogenesis of the cranial bones and sutures is dependent on tissue interactions with the dura mater, which control the size and shape of bones as well as sutural patency. Development of the brain also involves interactions with dura mater: secretion of stromal derived factor 1 (SDF-1) is a critical event in directing migration of the external granular layer precursors of the cerebellar cortex and the Cajal-Retzius (CR) cells of the cerebral cortex. The dura mater is also required for growth of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Wnt1Cre/R26R transgenic reporter mice were used to study the origin and fates of the cells of dura mater during head development. The dura mater of mammals is derived entirely from the cranial neural crest. Beginning around neonatal day 10 (N 10), the dura mater is infiltrated by cells derived from paraxial mesoderm, which later come to predominate. Over the course of infancy, the neural crest-derived cells of the dura mater become sequestered in niche-like distribution characteristic of stem cells. Simultaneously, dura mater cells underlying the sagittal suture migrate upward into the mesodermally-derived mesenchyme separating the parietal bones. Although initially the parietal bones are formed entirely from paraxial mesoderm, the cellular composition gradually becomes chimeric and is populated mainly by neural crest-derived cells by N 30. This occurs as a consequence of osteoblastic differentiation at the dura mater interface and intravasation of neural crest-derived osteoclastic and other hematopoietic precursors. The isolated cells of the dura mater are multipotent in vitro, giving rise to osteoblasts, neuronal cells and other derivatives characteristic of cranial neural crest, possibly reflecting the multipotent nature of dura mater cells in vivo.

Premature fusion and excessive calcification of coronal sutures in patients with Klinefelter syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to report on radiographic features of the cranial vault abnormalities frequently seen but not yet described in detail in patients with Klinefelter syndrome. SUBJECTS: Our studies comprised 72 patients with Klinefelter syndrome and 47,XXY karyotype. The majority of the patients were young between the ages of 16 to 28 years. METHODS: Plain skull radiographs were taken in the frontal and lateral projections. RESULTS: Several abnormalities were observed on skull radiographs of the Klinefelter patients. The most frequent was a premature fusion of the coronal sutures that occurred in 54 of 62 younger patients. In 42 cases extensive calcifications of these sutures were observed. The calcified sutures were dense and widened. In 24 patients the inner table in the anterior part or the parietal bone displayed a marked disruption with thinning of the calvaria at this place. In the posterior part of the parietal bone in 21 patients the inner table was thickened and excessively dense. On frontal radiographs, in 30 patients, there was a flattening of the squamous part of the temporal bones. CONCLUSIONS: Skull radiographs in Klinefelter patients frequently display abnormalities: premature fusion and excessive calcifications of the coronal sutures, irregularities of the inner table of the parietal bone, and flattening of the temporal bones. These radiographic features, when present, may draw attention to the XXY syndrome as the underlying cause of the abnormalities.

Effects of the LactoSorb bioabsorbable plates on the craniofacial development of rabbits: direct morphometric analysis using linear measurements.

The use of plates for the treatment of fractures can affect craniofacial bone development. This study investigated the effect of bioabsorbable plates and titanium microscrews on the growth of the craniofacial skeleton of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), in the neonatal period. A LactoSorb plate and PROMM titanium microscrews were positioned across the coronal suture in animals in the study group. In the control group, only PROMM titanium microscrews were attached to the cranium. Anteroposterior linear measurements were obtained using 3 different gauging devices: digital precision caliper, EKG caliper and nylon string. Frontal-nasal (FN) distances were statistically different between the left and right side when the digital caliper (P