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J Dev Biol 2021 Jan 23;9(1). Epub 2021 Jan 23.

Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.

The cranial base is a multifunctional bony platform within the core of the cranium, spanning rostral to caudal ends. This structure provides support for the brain and skull vault above, serves as a link between the head and the vertebral column below, and seamlessly integrates with the facial skeleton at its rostral end. Unique from the majority of the cranial skeleton, the cranial base develops from a cartilage intermediate-the chondrocranium-through the process of endochondral ossification. Read More

Front Cell Dev Biol 2020 22;8:615264. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

Trunk and head muscles originate from distinct embryonic regions: while the trunk muscles derive from the paraxial mesoderm that becomes segmented into somites, the majority of head muscles develops from the unsegmented cranial paraxial mesoderm. Differences in the molecular control of trunk versus head and neck muscles have been discovered about 25 years ago; interestingly, differences in satellite cell subpopulations were also described more recently. Specifically, the satellite cells of the facial expression muscles share properties with heart muscle. Read More

Bone 2021 Mar 9;144:115789. Epub 2020 Dec 9.

Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; The University of Iowa, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Iowa City, IA, USA; Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA. Electronic address:

Bone formation in the craniofacial complex is regulated by cranial neural crest (CNC) and mesoderm-derived cells. Different elements of the developing skull, face, mandible, maxilla (jaws) and nasal bones are regulated by an array of transcription factors, signaling molecules and microRNAs (miRs). miRs are molecular modulators of these factors and act to restrict their expression in a temporal-spatial mechanism. Read More

Front Physiol 2020 2;11:588901. Epub 2020 Nov 2.

Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.

Cranial neural crest cells (cNCCs) are migratory, multipotent cells that originate from the forebrain to the hindbrain and eventually give rise to the cartilage and bone of the frontonasal skeleton, among other derivatives. Signaling through the two members of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) family of receptor tyrosine kinases, alpha and beta, plays critical roles in the cNCC lineage to regulate craniofacial development during murine embryogenesis. Further, the PDGFRs have been shown to genetically interact during murine craniofacial development at mid-to-late gestation. Read More

Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2020 Oct;49(5):581-585

Department of Reproductive Genetics, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou 310006, China.

Objective: To identify the genetic causes of a family with lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome (LDS).

Methods: The whole exome sequencing was performed in a aborted fetus as the proband, and a candidate gene was identified. Peripheral blood of 8 family members were collected. Read More