The effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 on the fusion of cranial suture

Objective To evaluate the effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 for the bone induction and the regulation for the fusion of the sagittal cranial sutures. Methods The cells, derived from cranial sutures in the newborn SD rats and the sagittal suture from the mice, were cultured with a serum-free medium and treated with and without insulin-like growth factor 1. The osteoblast phetotypes (osteocalcin, alkaline, osteoponcin and type-1 collagen) were measured with the RT -PCR and ELISA, and the explanted sagittal sutures were then evaluated under light microscopy. Results The cells, treated with the insulin-like growth factor 1, significantly produced more osteocalcin, alkaline, osteoponcin and type-1 collagen than those without insulin-like growth factor 1. The fusion of the sagittal suture explants will delay till to 30 days when it was not treated with IGF1. However, in the group with IGF1 the fusion was observed to start in 8 days, and a small amount of the sagittal suture fusion was found at the 20th

METTL5 regulates cranial suture fusion via Wnt signaling

METTL5 is a methyltransferase that mediates eukaryotic 18S ribosomal RNA m^(6)A modification,and its mutations lead to intellectual disability,microcephaly,and facial dysmorphism in patients.However,the role of METTL5 in craniofacial development remains poorly understood.This study demonstrates that Mettl5 knockout mice exhibit poor ossification,widened cranial sutures,and a cleidocranial dysplasia-like phenotype.Deletion of Mettl5 leads to increased proliferation and decreased osteogenic differentiation of suture mesenchymal stem cells.Mechanistically,we find that Wnt signaling is significantly downregulated after Mettl5 knockout.Overall,we reveal an essential role of METTL5 in craniofacial development and osteogenic differentiation of suture mesenchymal stem cells,making METTL5 a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for craniofacial developmental diseases.

Clinical observation on effect of cranial suture acupuncture combined with donepezil hydrochloride tablets for Alzheimer's disease

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with medicine for AIzheimer＇s disease. Methods Fifty-five patients of Alzheimer＇s disease were randomly divided into two groups in accordance with random number table： the drug group （n=28） was treated with oral donepezil hydrochloride tablets, once a day for 5-10 mg with 10 days as a course of treatment; the combined acupuncture and drug group （n=27） was treated with cranial suture acupuncture combined with donepezil hydrochloride tablets in the above-mentioned way. The cranial suture acupuncture was given once a day for 30 min with 10 days as a course of treatment. Both groups were given treatment for two courses. Mini-mental state examination （MMSE）, Alzheimer＇s disease assessment scale （ADAS-Cog）, activities of daily living scale （Barthel） and electroencephalogram （EEG） were checked before and after treatment, to evaluate the efficacy of each group via integral changes of Barthel. Results MMSE score increased, Barthel index score increased, and ADAS-Cog score decreased in the two groups after treatment （P〈0.05, P〈0.01）, and the efficacy of the combined acupuncture and drug group was more significant （P〈0.01）. The α wave frequency and amplitude and θ wave frequency of EEG increased after treatment in both groups （P〈0.05）, θ wave amplitude decreased （P〈0.01）, and the efficacy of the combined acupuncture and drug group was superior to that of the drug group in terms of EEG improvement （P〈0.05）. The total effective rate of the combined acupuncture and drug group （88.9%, 24/27） was superior to that of drug group （67.9%, 18/28, P〈0.05）. Conclusion The effect of cranial suture acupuncture combined with donepezil hydrochloride tablets for Alzheimer＇s disease is more significant than only medicine therapy.

Molecular basis of cranial suture biology and disease:Osteoblastic and osteoclastic perspectives

The normal growth and development of the skull is a tightly regulated process that occurs along the osteogenic interfaces of the cranial sutures.Here,the borders of the calvarial bones and neighboring tissues above and below,function as a complex.Through coordinated remodeling efforts of bone deposition and resorption,the cranial sutures maintain a state of patency from infancy through early adulthood as the skull continues to grow and accommodate the developing brain’s demands for expansion.However,when this delicate balance is disturbed,a number of pathologic conditions ensue;and if left uncorrected,may result in visual and neurocognitive impairments.A prime example includes craniosynostosis,or premature fusion of one or more cranial and/or facial suture(s).At the present time,the only therapeutic measure for craniosynostosis is surgical correction by cranial vault reconstruction.However,elegant studies performed over the past decade have identified several genes critical for the maintenance of suture patency and induction of suture fusion.Such deeper understandings of the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms that regulate suture biology may provide necessary insights toward the development of non-surgical therapeutic alternatives for patients with cranial suture defects.In this review,we discuss the intricate cellular and molecular interplay that exists within the suture among its three major components:dura mater,osteoblastic related molecular pathways and osteoclastic related molecular pathways.

Virtual anthropology:a preliminary test of macroscopic observation versus 3D surface scans and computed tomography(CT)scans

Virtual anthropology(VA)is based on applying anthropological methods currently used to analyse bones to 3D models of human remains.While great advances have been made in this endeavour in the past decade,several interrogations concerning how reliable these models are and what their proper use should be remain unanswered.In this research,a fundamental assumption of VA has been investigated:if the way we perceive and apply an anthropological method is truly similar when looking at bones macroscopically and through various 3D media.In order to answer,10 skulls of known age and sex were scanned using a computed tomography(CT)scanner and a 3D surface scanner.Two observers separately applied a defined staging method to eight suture sites on these skulls,first looking at the bone macroscopically,then at the 3D surface scan,and finally on the CT scan.Two rounds of observation were carried out by each observer.Intra-and inter-observer error were evaluated,and two sample t-tests used to evaluate if the different types of medium used yielded significantly different observations.The results show a high degree of inter-observer error,and that data obtained from 3D surface scans differ from macroscopic observation(confidence level 95%,P≤0.05).CT scans,in these settings,yielded results comparable to those obtained through macroscopic observations.These results offer many possibilities for future research,including indications on the kind of anthropological methods and anatomical landmarks that might be reliably transferable to the virtual environment.All current methods used in traditional anthropology should be tested,and if they prove unreliable,new techniques to analyse bones from virtual models should be developed.