Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 26, 2025
02:42
Analysis of Craniomaxillofacial Malformations in Mice Using Three-dimensional Microcomputed Tomography
Published on: January 17, 2025
382
Normal human craniofacial growth and development from 0 to 4 years
Ce Liang1, Antonio Profico2, Costantino Buzi3,4
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
Scientific Reports
|June 14, 2023
Summary
Human craniofacial growth shows rapid changes in the first year of life, with significant cranial development. No significant sex differences in overall cranial shape were observed during the first 48 months.
Area of Science:
- Craniofacial biology
- Developmental biology
- Medical imaging
Background:
- Understanding human craniofacial growth and development is crucial for treating related clinical conditions.
- Early childhood development involves complex changes in cranial size, shape, and associated soft tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate craniofacial growth and development in the first 48 months of life using clinical CT scans.
- To detail sex-specific changes in cranial form and their association with soft tissue development and nasal cavity expansion.
- To develop a unified model for human craniofacial growth and development.
Main Methods:
- Multivariate analyses of cranial form using 3D landmarks and semi-landmarks.
- Analysis of linear dimensions and cranial volumes from extensive clinical CT scan data.
- Comparative analysis of craniofacial changes between sexes over the first 48 months of life.
Main Results:
- Cranial form changes exhibit accelerations and decelerations throughout early childhood.
- Greater cranial form changes occur between 0-12 months compared to 12-48 months.
- No significant sexual dimorphism in overall cranial shape development was found in the studied age range.
Conclusions:
- A single model of human craniofacial growth and development is proposed for future research.
- The findings provide insights into the physio-mechanical interactions governing craniofacial development.
- This study contributes to a better understanding of normal craniofacial development in early childhood.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Sutures of the Skull
7.0K
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...
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...
7.0K
01:29Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
6.5K
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 ...
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into ...
6.5K
01:08Overview of the Skull
4.8K
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...
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...
4.8K
01:29Three Developmental Domains
192
Human development is typically examined across three main domains: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional. These domains represent the significant areas of change and continuity throughout the lifespan, from infancy to late adulthood.
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and...
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and...
192
01:15Teeth
512
The formation of teeth, also known as odontogenesis, is a complex process that begins in utero, around the sixth week of embryonic development. There are three stages to this process: the bud stage, the cap stage, and the bell stage.
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
512
01:09Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
2.1K
The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
2.1K