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Changes in micro‐architectural characteristics of mandibular sutures using micro‐CT images in American Alligators during ontogeny
Author(s) -
Zapata Uriel,
Liu Sean,
Sun Jun,
Elsey Ruth M.,
Wang Qian
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.457.2
Subject(s) - ontogeny , alligator , juvenile , skull , anatomy , biology , mandible (arthropod mouthpart) , american alligator , zoology , endocrinology , ecology , genus
It has been well‐established that sutures in the skull play two main roles: they are associated with early stages of ontogeny allowing the brain growth, and they are not only affected but also influenced by their biomechanical environments during ontogeny. However, questions regarding how the microstructure of the sutures changes with growth and biomechanical environments have not been systematically studied. We hypothesized that, [1] the microstructure of sutural tissue changed during ontogeny, and [2] there were sex‐based difference in the change during ontogeny. Bone volume (BV), tissue volume (TV), bone surface (BS), structural density (BV/TV), and degree of anisotropy were evaluated by using micro‐CT technique in thirty sutures between the surangular and the dentary bones of the mandible of the American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ). Specimens were removed from 15 subject (8 males and 7 females) covering three ontogenetic groups: [1] juvenile from 12–36 in. long, [2] junior adult from 37–72 in. long, and [3] senior adult from 73–96 in. long. Results demonstrated that there were no significant difference between male and female animals. However, there were significant differences in BV/TV between specimens from the senior adult groups and specimens from younger age groups ( p <0.05). In conclusion, mineralization processes in mandibular sutures increase during ontogeny, suggesting changes in mechanical properties that could affect sutural function. Grant Funding Source : Supported by NSF BCS‐0725183, and COLCIENCIAS (Bogotá, Colombia)