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Related Concept Videos

Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification01:29

Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification

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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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 adult...
Sutures of the Skull01:22

Sutures of the Skull

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Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age01:09

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

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Development of the Limb Synovial Joints

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The mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into chondrocytes that form the hyaline cartilage, and later the cartilaginous model of the bone. This model further transforms into a bone. This process is known as endochondral ossification.
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Introduction to the Skeletal System

The skeletal system is the central framework of the body, consisting of different connective tissues: bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.
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Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
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Exploring the Laws of Developmental Direction Using a Documented Skeletal Collection.

Jennifer S Nelson1, Lesley Harrington1, Emily Holland2

  • 1University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

American Journal of Biological Anthropology
|December 26, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Human limb growth shows complex patterns. While the lower limb and upper limb

Keywords:
childrendevelopmentdevelopmental plasticitygrowthstunting

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Three and Four-Dimensional Visualization and Analysis Approaches to Study Vertebrate Axial Elongation and Segmentation

Published on: February 28, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Human growth and development
  • Biocultural anthropology
  • Skeletal biology

Background:

  • Human growth studies often observe greater variability in distal limb segments compared to proximal ones.
  • This pattern is linked to developmental sequences, where later-developing bones are more susceptible to environmental influences.
  • The laws of developmental direction posit a gradient of growth sensitivity from proximal to distal elements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate limb dimension variations in children within the framework of developmental direction.
  • To analyze growth patterns in a skeletal collection from a low socioeconomic status population.

Main Methods:

  • Z-scores were calculated for diaphyseal lengths of six limb bones in children aged 0.09–11.75 years.
  • Paired samples t-tests were used to compare mean z-score differences between limbs and between proximal and distal segments within each limb.

Main Results:

  • The lower limb exhibited significantly more stunting than the upper limb (p ≤ 0.001).
  • The distal upper limb segment was more stunted than its proximal counterpart (p ≤ 0.001).
  • Conversely, the distal lower limb segment was less stunted than its proximal segment (p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Findings for the lower limb versus upper limb and the upper limb's segments align with the laws of developmental direction.
  • The greater stunting in the proximal lower limb segment contradicts the expected developmental gradient.
  • Results highlight the intricate nature of human growth and developmental plasticity influenced by biocultural factors.