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Related Concept Videos

Sutures of the Skull01:22

Sutures of the Skull

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The human skull is composed of several bones that come together to protect the brain and support the structures of the face. The junctions where these bones meet are called sutures.
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
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Overview of the Skull01:08

Overview of the Skull

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The cranium (skull) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain. It is subdivided into the facial bones and the brain case, or cranial vault. The facial bones underlie the facial structures, form the nasal cavity, enclose the eyeballs, and support the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...
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Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification01:29

Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification

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Intramembranous ossification is one of the two processes involved in the development of bones within an embryo. The flat bones of the face, most of the cranial bones, and the clavicles are formed via this process. During intramembranous ossification, the bones develop directly from sheets of undifferentiated mesenchymal connective tissue.
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into ...
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Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View01:14

Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View

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The superior view of the cranium shows the frontal and paired parietal bones.
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
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Cranial Bones: Lateral View01:27

Cranial Bones: Lateral View

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The lateral view of the cranium is dominated by temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
2.4K
Overview of the Axial Skeleton01:09

Overview of the Axial Skeleton

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The skeleton is subdivided into two major divisions—the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton forms the vertical, central axis of the body. It includes all of the bones of the head, neck, chest, and back. It protects the brain, spinal cord, heart, and lungs. It also serves as the attachment site for muscles that move the head, neck, and back and for muscles that act across the shoulder and hip joints to move their corresponding limbs.
The axial skeleton of the...
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Analysis of Craniomaxillofacial Malformations in Mice Using Three-dimensional Microcomputed Tomography
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Analysis of Craniomaxillofacial Malformations in Mice Using Three-dimensional Microcomputed Tomography

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The mammalian skull: development, structure and function.

Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik1,2, Z Jack Tseng3,4

  • 1Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|May 15, 2023
PubMed
Summary

This study highlights advances in understanding the mammalian skull through new imaging techniques and evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo). It provides a comprehensive resource for researchers in cranial anatomy and evolutionary sciences.

Keywords:
developmentevolutionmammals

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Comparative Anatomy

Background:

  • The mammalian skull is a crucial model system for diverse scientific disciplines.
  • Knowledge of mammalian skulls is rapidly expanding due to new research methods and discoveries.
  • Existing literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of current mammalian skull research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the need for a consolidated resource on mammalian skull research.
  • To present a balanced collection of research papers and reviews from global experts.
  • To cover fundamental aspects of mammalian skull development, structure, and function.

Main Methods:

  • Computed microtomography (including synchrotron X-ray imaging) for cranial anatomy analysis.
  • Integration of genetics, development, and evolution ('evo-devo') studies.
  • Analysis of fossil records and new paleontological discoveries.

Main Results:

  • Computed microtomography enables detailed descriptive and quantitative analysis of cranial anatomy.
  • Evolutionary developmental biology ('evo-devo') has significantly advanced understanding of skull morphology.
  • Novel techniques allow integration of cranial development with fossil evidence.

Conclusions:

  • This theme issue provides a comprehensive overview of the mammalian skull.
  • It synthesizes current knowledge from diverse fields including evo-devo and paleontology.
  • The collection serves as a vital resource for researchers studying mammalian skull evolution and function.