The biomechanical role of the chondrocranium and sutures in a lizard cranium

Jones, Marc E. H.; Gröning, Flora; Dutel, Hugo; Sharp, Alana; Fagan, Michael J.; Evans, Susan E.

Abstract

The role of soft tissues in skull biomechanics remains poorly understood. Not least, the chondrocranium, the portion of the braincase which persists as cartilage with varying degrees of mineralization. It also remains commonplace to overlook the biomechanical role of sutures despite evidence that they alter strain distribution. Here, we examine the role of both the sutures and the chondrocranium in the South American tegu lizard Salvator merianae. We use multi-body dynamics analysis (MDA) to provide realistic loading conditions for anterior and posterior unilateral biting and a detailed finite element model to examine strain magnitude and distribution. We find that strains within the chondrocraniumare greatest during anterior biting and are primarily tensile; also that strain within the cranium is not greatly reduced by the presence of the chondrocraniumunless it is given the same material properties as bone. This result contradicts previous suggestions that the anterior portion (the nasal septum) acts as a supporting structure. Inclusion of sutures to the cranium model not only increases overall strain magnitudes but also leads to a more complex distribution of tension and compression rather than that of a beam under sagittal bending.

Citation

Jones, M. E. H., Gröning, F., Dutel, H., Sharp, A., Fagan, M. J., & Evans, S. E. (2017). The biomechanical role of the chondrocranium and sutures in a lizard cranium. Journal of the Royal Society interface / the Royal Society, 14(137), Article 20170637. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2017.0637

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 28, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Dec 20, 2017
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jan 8, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 15, 2018
• Journal: Journal of The Royal Society Interface
• Print ISSN: 1742-5689
• Publisher: The Royal Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 137
• Article Number: 20170637
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2017.0637
• Keywords: Biotechnology; Biophysics; Biochemistry; Bioengineering; Biomaterials; Biomedical Engineering
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/515945
• Publisher URL: http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/14/137/20170637
• Contract Date: Jan 8, 2018