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The Muenke syndrome mutation ( FgfR3 P244R ) causes cranial base shortening associated with growth plate dysfunction and premature perichondrial ossification in murine basicranial synchondroses
Author(s) -
Laurita Jason,
Koyama Eiki,
Chin Bianca,
Taylor Jesse A.,
Lakin Gregory E.,
Hankenson Kurt D.,
Bartlett Scott P.,
Nah HyunDuck
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.22752
Subject(s) - endochondral ossification , intramembranous ossification , biology , brachydactyly , ossification , synchondrosis , hypoplasia , anatomy , dwarfism , perichondrium , skull , chondrocyte , cartilage , craniosynostosis , endocrinology , short stature , genetics , gene
Abstract Muenke syndrome caused by the FGFR3 P250R mutation is an autosomal dominant disorder mostly identified with coronal suture synostosis, but it also presents with other craniofacial phenotypes that include mild to moderate midface hypoplasia. The Muenke syndrome mutation is thought to dysregulate intramembranous ossification at the cranial suture without disturbing endochondral bone formation in the skull. We show in this study that knock‐in mice harboring the mutation responsible for the Muenke syndrome ( FgfR3 P244R ) display postnatal shortening of the cranial base along with synchondrosis growth plate dysfunction characterized by loss of resting, proliferating and hypertrophic chondrocyte zones and decreased Ihh expression. Furthermore, premature conversion of resting chondrocytes along the perichondrium into prehypertrophic chondrocytes leads to perichondrial bony bridge formation, effectively terminating the postnatal growth of the cranial base. Thus, we conclude that the Muenke syndrome mutation disturbs endochondral and perichondrial ossification in the cranial base, explaining the midface hypoplasia in patients. Developmental Dynamics 240:2584–2596, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.