Cranial sutures work collectively to distribute strain throughout the reptile skull

Curtis, Neil; Fagan, M. J.; Evans, S. E.; Jones, M. E. H.; O'Higgins, P.

Abstract

The skull is composed of many bones that come together at sutures. These sutures are important sites of growth, and as growth ceases some become fused while others remain patent. Their mechanical behaviour and how they interact with changing form and loadings to ensure balanced craniofacial development is still poorly understood. Early suture fusion often leads to disfiguring syndromes, thus is it imperative that we understand the function of sutures more clearly. By applying advanced engineering modelling techniques, we reveal for the first time that patent sutures generate a more widely distributed, high level of strain throughout the reptile skull. Without patent sutures, large regions of the skull are only subjected to infrequent low-level strains that could weaken the bone and result in abnormal development. Sutures are therefore not only sites of bone growth, but could also be essential for the modulation of strains necessary for normal growth and development in reptiles.

Citation

Curtis, N., Fagan, M. J., Evans, S. E., Jones, M. E. H., & O'Higgins, P. (2013). Cranial sutures work collectively to distribute strain throughout the reptile skull. Journal of the Royal Society interface / the Royal Society, 10(86), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2013.0442

• Acceptance Date: Jun 4, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Jun 26, 2013
• Publication Date: Jun 26, 2013
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Journal of the Royal Society interface
• Print ISSN: 1742-5689
• Electronic ISSN: 1742-5662
• Publisher: The Royal Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 86
• Article Number: ARTN 20130442
• Pages: 1-9
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2013.0442
• Keywords: Cranial suture, Multibody dynamics analysis, Sphenodon, Finite-element analysis
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/368798
• Publisher URL: http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/10/86/20130442
• Additional Information: Copy of article first published in: Journal of the Royal Society interface, 2013, v.10, issue 86