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Unraveling the complexity of the Skull: An evo‐devo approach
Author(s) -
FranzOdendaal Tamara
Publication year - 2013
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.27.1_supplement.80.4
Subject(s) - skull , vertebrate , biology , craniofacial , evolutionary biology , anatomy , evolutionary developmental biology , neural crest , cranial neural crest , embryo , biochemistry , genetics , gene , microbiology and biotechnology
The complexity of the vertebrate skull has intrigued scientists for decades. This complexity largely exists because the bones and cartilages that make up the skull have different embryonic origins, develop at different times and ossify via different mechanisms. Understanding both the evolutionary history of skeletal elements and their developmental pathways can provide novel insight into this complexity. I will discuss our work on the skeletal elements associated with the eye, specifically the sclerotic ring. The sclerotic ring is composed of neural crest derived intramembranous bones and is situated in the eyeball (sclera) of many vertebrates, including reptiles and bony fish. Our comparative approach in different organisms and our phylogenetic analyses has enabled us to understand the diversity of this part of the skull. Manipulating the embryo results in multiple effects and provides important clues to underlying the mechanisms governing craniofacial plasticity and constraint at the cellular and tissue level. Since evolutionary and developmental trajectories operate at very different temporal scales, understanding both will provide a more comprehensive view of the vertebrate skull and its complexities.