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FGF and TGFβ signaling link form and function during jaw development and evolution.
Katherine C Woronowicz1, Stephanie E Gline1, Safa T Herfat1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-1161, San Francisco, CA 94143-0514, USA.
Developmental Biology
|May 14, 2018
Summary
Duck jaws develop unique cartilage due to species-specific forces and FGF/TGFβ signaling, revealing links between musculoskeletal form, function, development, and evolution.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Biomechanics
- Molecular Signaling
Background:
- Understanding how form arises during development and evolution is key to linking embryonic structures with adult function.
- Jaw morphology varies significantly across species, influencing feeding behaviors and requiring distinct developmental pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanisms underlying the species-specific formation of secondary cartilage in duck jaws.
- To explore the roles of neural crest mesenchyme (NCM), mechanical forces, and signaling pathways (FGF, TGFβ) in jaw development and functional adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Embryonic tissue transplantation between duck and chick embryos.
- Quantification of jaw motility and finite element modeling of jaw biomechanics.
- Investigation of FGF and TGFβ signaling pathways in response to mechanical load.
Main Results:
- NCM-derived connective tissues influence muscle insertion and secondary cartilage formation.
- Jaw architecture correlates with predicted mechanical forces, differing between duck and quail.
- FGF and TGFβ signaling are mechano-responsive, required for secondary cartilage, and can induce it independently of mechanical force.
Conclusions:
- Musculoskeletal form and function are coupled through molecular, cellular, and biomechanical mechanisms during development and evolution.
- Differential regulation of FGF and TGFβ signaling, influenced by mechanical forces and NCM, drives species-specific jaw development.
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