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Bleuze MM. Changes in limb bone diaphyseal structure in chimpanzees during development. Am J Biol Anthropol 2024:e24942. [PMID: 38602254 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study tests if femoral and humeral cross-sectional geometry (CSG) and cross-sectional properties (CSPs) in an ontogenetic series of wild-caught chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ssp.) reflect locomotor behavior during development. The goal is to clarify the relationship between limb bone structure and locomotor behavior during ontogeny in Pan. MATERIALS AND METHODS The latex cast method was used to reconstruct cross sections at the midshaft femur and mid-distal humerus. Second moments of area (SMAs) (Ix, Iy, Imax, Imin), which are proportional to bending rigidity about a specified axis, and the polar SMA (J), which is proportional to average bending rigidity, were calculated at section locations. Cross-sectional shape (CSS) was assessed from Ix/Iy and Imax/Imin ratios. Juvenile and adult subsamples were compared. RESULTS Juveniles and adults have significantly greater femoral J compared to humeral J. Mean interlimb proportions of J are not significantly different between the groups. There is an overall decreasing trend in diaphyseal circularity between the juvenile phase of development and adulthood, although significant differences are only found in the humerus. DISCUSSION Juvenile chimpanzee locomotion includes forelimb- and hindlimb-biased behaviors. Juveniles and adults preferentially load their hindlimbs relative to their forelimbs. This may indicate similar locomotor behavior, although other explanations including a diversity of hindlimb-biased locomotor behaviors in juveniles cannot be ruled out. Different ontogenetic trends in forelimb and hindlimb CSS are consistent with limb bone CSG reflecting functional adaptation, albeit the complex nature of bone functional adaptation requires cautious interpretations of skeletal functional morphology from biomechanical analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele M Bleuze
- Institutional affiliation: Department of Anthropology, California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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2
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Lukova A, Dunmore CJ, Bachmann S, Synek A, Pahr DH, Kivell TL, Skinner MM. Trabecular architecture of the distal femur in extant hominids. J Anat 2024. [PMID: 38381116 DOI: 10.1111/joa.14026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Extant great apes are characterized by a wide range of locomotor, postural and manipulative behaviours that each require the limbs to be used in different ways. In addition to external bone morphology, comparative investigation of trabecular bone, which (re-)models to reflect loads incurred during life, can provide novel insights into bone functional adaptation. Here, we use canonical holistic morphometric analysis (cHMA) to analyse the trabecular morphology in the distal femoral epiphysis of Homo sapiens (n = 26), Gorilla gorilla (n = 14), Pan troglodytes (n = 15) and Pongo sp. (n = 9). We test two predictions: (1) that differing locomotor behaviours will be reflected in differing trabecular architecture of the distal femur across Homo, Pan, Gorilla and Pongo; (2) that trabecular architecture will significantly differ between male and female Gorilla due to their different levels of arboreality but not between male and female Pan or Homo based on previous studies of locomotor behaviours. Results indicate that trabecular architecture differs among extant great apes based on their locomotor repertoires. The relative bone volume and degree of anisotropy patterns found reflect habitual use of extended knee postures during bipedalism in Homo, and habitual use of flexed knee posture during terrestrial and arboreal locomotion in Pan and Gorilla. Trabecular architecture in Pongo is consistent with a highly mobile knee joint that may vary in posture from extension to full flexion. Within Gorilla, trabecular architecture suggests a different loading of knee in extension/flexion between females and males, but no sex differences were found in Pan or Homo, supporting our predictions. Inter- and intra-specific variation in trabecular architecture of distal femur provides a comparative context to interpret knee postures and, in turn, locomotor behaviours in fossil hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Lukova
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Christopher J Dunmore
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Sebastian Bachmann
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Wien, Austria
| | - Alexander Synek
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Wien, Austria
| | - Dieter H Pahr
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Wien, Austria
- Department of Anatomy and Biomechanics, Division Biomechanics, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, Austria
| | - Tracy L Kivell
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthew M Skinner
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Wei X, Cooper DML. The various meanings and uses of bone "remodeling" in biological anthropology: A review. Am J Biol Anthropol 2023; 182:318-329. [PMID: 37515465 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In modern bone biology, the term "remodeling" generally refers to internal bone turnover that creates secondary osteons. However, it is also widely used by skeletal biologists, including biological anthropologists as a catch-all term to refer to different skeletal changes. In this review, we investigated how "remodeling" is used across topics on skeletal biology in biological anthropology to demonstrate potential problems with such pervasive use of a generalized term. METHODS Using PubMed and Google Scholar, we selected and reviewed 205 articles that use the term remodeling to describe skeletal processes and have anthropological implications. Nine edited volumes were also reviewed as examples of collaborative work by different experts to demonstrate the diverse and extensive use of the term remodeling. RESULTS Four general meanings of bone "remodeling" were identified, namely, internal turnover, functional adaptation, fracture repair, and growth remodeling. Additionally, remodeling is also used to refer to a broad array of pathological skeletal changes. DISCUSSION Although we initially identified four general meanings of bone remodeling, they are not mutually exclusive and often occur in combination. The term "remodeling" has become an extensively used catch-all term to refer to different processes and outcomes of skeletal changes, which inevitably lead to misunderstanding and a loss of information. Such ambiguity and confusion are potentially problematic as the field of biological anthropology becomes increasingly multidisciplinary. Therefore, we advocate for precise, context-specific definitions and explanations of bone remodeling as it continues to be used across disciplines within and beyond biological anthropology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Wei
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - David M L Cooper
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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4
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Figus C, Stephens NB, Sorrentino R, Bortolini E, Arrighi S, Higgins OA, Lugli F, Marciani G, Oxilia G, Romandini M, Silvestrini S, Baruffaldi F, Belcastro MG, Bernardini F, Festa A, Hajdu T, Mateovics‐László O, Pap I, Szeniczey T, Tuniz C, Ryan TM, Benazzi S. Morphologies in-between: The impact of the first steps on the human talus. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:124-142. [PMID: 35656925 PMCID: PMC10083965 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The development of bipedalism is a very complex activity that contributes to shaping the anatomy of the foot. The talus, which starts ossifying in utero, may account for the developing stages from the late gestational phase onwards. Here, we explore the early development of the talus in both its internal and external morphology to broaden the knowledge of the anatomical changes that occur during early development. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample consists of high-resolution microCT scans of 28 modern juvenile tali (from 36 prenatal weeks to 2 years), from a broad chronological range from the Late Roman period to the 20th century. We applied geometric morphometric and whole-bone trabecular analysis to investigate the early talar morphological changes. RESULTS In the youngest group (<6 postnatal months), the immature external shell is accompanied by an isotropic internal structure, with thin and densely packed trabeculae. After the initial attempts of locomotion, bone volume fraction decreases, while anisotropy and trabecular thickness increase. These internal changes correspond to the maturation of the external shell, which is now more defined and shows the development of the articular surfaces. DISCUSSION The internal and external morphology of the human talus reflects the diverse load on the foot during the initial phases of the bipedal locomotion, with the youngest group potentially reflecting the lack of readiness of the human talus to bear forces and perform bipedal walking. These results highlight the link between mechanical loading and bone development in the human talus during the acquisition of bipedalism, providing new insight into the early phases of talar development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Figus
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
| | - Nicholas B. Stephens
- Department of AnthropologyPennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Rita Sorrentino
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences – BigeaUniversity of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Eugenio Bortolini
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
- Human Ecology and Archaeology (HUMANE)IMF, CSI0CBarcelonaSpain
| | - Simona Arrighi
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
| | - Owen A. Higgins
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
| | - Federico Lugli
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
| | - Giulia Marciani
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
- Research Unit Prehistory and Anthropology, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and EnvironmentUniversity of SienaSienaItaly
| | - Gregorio Oxilia
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
| | - Matteo Romandini
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
| | - Sara Silvestrini
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
| | - Fabio Baruffaldi
- Laboratory of Medical TechnologyIRCCS Istituto Ortopedico RizzoliBolognaItaly
| | - Maria Giovanna Belcastro
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences – BigeaUniversity of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Federico Bernardini
- Department of Humanistic StudiesUniversità Ca'FoscariVeneziaItaly
- Multidisciplinary LaboratoryAbdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical PhysicsTriesteItaly
| | - Anna Festa
- Laboratory of Medical TechnologyIRCCS Istituto Ortopedico RizzoliBolognaItaly
| | - Tamás Hajdu
- Department of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of ScienceEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | | | - Ildiko Pap
- Department of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of ScienceEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
- Department of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Science and InformaticsSzeged UniversitySzegedHungary
- Department of AnthropologyHungarian Natural History MuseumBudapestHungary
| | - Tamás Szeniczey
- Department of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of ScienceEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Claudio Tuniz
- Multidisciplinary LaboratoryAbdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical PhysicsTriesteItaly
- Centre for Archaeological ScienceUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Timothy M. Ryan
- Department of AnthropologyPennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Stefano Benazzi
- Department of Cultural HeritageUniversity of BolognaRavennaItaly
- Department of Human EvolutionMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
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Goliath JR, Gosman JH, Stout SD, Ryan TM. Ontogenetic Patterning of Human Subchondral Bone Microarchitecture in the Proximal Tibia. Biology (Basel) 2022; 11. [PMID: 36101383 DOI: 10.3390/biology11071002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution computed tomography images were acquired for 31 proximal human tibiae, age 8 to 37.5 years, from Norris Farms #36 cemetery site (A.D. 1300). Morphometric analysis of subchondral cortical and trabecular bone architecture was performed between and within the tibial condyles. Kruskal−Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to examine the association between region, age, body mass, and each morphometric parameter. The findings indicate that age-related changes in mechanical loading have varied effects on subchondral bone morphology. With age, trabecular microstructure increased in bone volume fraction (p = 0.033) and degree of anisotropy (p = 0.012), and decreased in connectivity density (p = 0.001). In the subchondral cortical plate, there was an increase in thickness (p < 0.001). When comparing condylar regions, only degree of anisotropy differed (p = 0.004) between the medial and lateral condyles. Trabeculae in the medial condyle were more anisotropic than in the lateral region. This research represents an innovative approach to quantifying both cortical and trabecular subchondral bone microarchitecture in archaeological remains.
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6
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Cazenave M, Kivell TL, Pina M, Begun DR, Skinner MM. Calcar femorale variation in extant and fossil hominids: Implications for identifying bipedal locomotion in fossil hominins. J Hum Evol 2022; 167:103183. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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7
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Bachmann S, Dunmore CJ, Skinner MM, Pahr DH, Synek A. A computational framework for canonical holistic morphometric analysis of trabecular bone. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5187. [PMID: 35338187 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09063-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone is a remarkable, living tissue that functionally adapts to external loading. Therefore, bone shape and internal structure carry information relevant to many disciplines, including medicine, forensic science, and anthropology. However, morphometric comparisons of homologous regions across different individuals or groups are still challenging. In this study, two methods were combined to quantify such differences: (1) Holistic morphometric analysis (HMA) was used to quantify morphometric values in each bone, (2) which could then be mapped to a volumetric mesh of a canonical bone created by a statistical free-form deformation model (SDM). Required parameters for this canonical holistic morphometric analysis (cHMA) method were identified and the robustness of the method was evaluated. The robustness studies showed that the SDM converged after one to two iterations, had only a marginal bias towards the chosen starting image, and could handle large shape differences seen in bones of different species. Case studies were performed on metacarpal bones and proximal femora of different primate species to confirm prior study results. The differences between species could be visualised and statistically analysed in both case studies. cHMA provides a framework for performing quantitative comparisons of different morphometric quantities across individuals or groups. These comparisons facilitate investigation of the relationship between spatial morphometric variations and function or pathology, or both.
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8
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Saers JPP, Gordon AD, Ryan TM, Stock JT. Growth and development of trabecular structure in the calcaneus of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) reflects locomotor behavior, life history, and neuromuscular development. J Anat 2022; 241:67-81. [PMID: 35178713 PMCID: PMC9178394 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone structure dynamically adapts to its mechanical environment throughout ontogeny by altering the structure of trabecular bone, the three-dimensional mesh-like structure found underneath joint surfaces. Trabecular structure, then, can provide a record of variation in loading directions and magnitude; and in ontogenetic samples, it can potentially be used to track developmental shifts in limb posture. We aim to broaden the analysis of trabecular bone ontogeny by incorporating interactions between ontogenetic variation in locomotor repertoire, neuromuscular maturation, and life history. We examine the associations between these variables and age-related variation in trabecular structure in the calcaneus of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). We used high-resolution micro-computed tomography scanning to image the calcaneus in a cross-sectional sample of 34 juvenile M. fuscata aged between 0 and 7 years old at the Primate Research Institute, Japan. We calculated whole bone averages of standard trabecular properties and generated whole-bone morphometric maps of bone volume fraction and Young's modulus. Trabecular structure becomes increasingly heterogeneous in older individuals. Bone volume fraction (BV/total volume [TV]) decreases during the first month of life and increases afterward, coinciding with the onset of independent locomotion in M. fuscata. At birth, primary Young's modulus is oriented orthogonal to the ossification center, but after locomotor onset bone structure becomes stiffest in the direction of joint surfaces and muscle attachments. Age-related variation in bone volume fraction is best predicted by an interaction between the estimated percentage of adult brain size, body mass, and locomotor onset. To explain our findings, we propose a model where interactions between age-related increases in body weight and maturation of the neuromuscular system alter the loading environment of the calcaneus, to which the internal trabecular structure dynamically adapts. This model cannot be directly tested based on our cross-sectional data. However, confirmation of the model by longitudinal experiments and in multiple species would show that trabecular structure can be used both to infer behavior from fossil morphology and serve as a valuable proxy for neuromuscular maturation and life history events like locomotor onset and the achievement of an adult-like gait. This approach could significantly expand our knowledge of the biology and behavior of fossil species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaap P P Saers
- Department of Archaeology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adam D Gordon
- Department of Anthropology, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Timothy M Ryan
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jay T Stock
- Department of Archaeology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Anthropology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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9
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Deckers K, Tsegai ZJ, Skinner MM, Zeininger A, Kivell TL. Ontogenetic changes to metacarpal trabecular bone structure in mountain and western lowland gorillas. J Anat 2022; 241:82-100. [PMID: 35122239 PMCID: PMC9178373 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The trabecular bone morphology of adult extant primates has been shown to reflect mechanical loading related to locomotion. However, ontogenetic studies of humans and other mammals suggest an adaptive lag between trabecular bone response and current mechanical loading patterns that could result in adult trabecular bone morphology reflecting juvenile behaviours. This study investigates ontogenetic changes in the trabecular bone structure of the third metacarpal of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei; n = 26) and western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla; n = 26) and its relationship to expected changes in locomotor loading patterns. Results show that trabecular bone reflects predicted mechanical loading throughout ontogeny. Bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness and trabecular number are low at birth and increase with age, although degree of anisotropy remains relatively stable throughout ontogeny. A high concentration of bone volume fraction can be observed in the distopalmar region of the third metacarpal epiphysis in early ontogeny, consistent with the high frequency of climbing, suspensory and other grasping behaviours in young gorillas. High trabecular bone concentration increases dorsally in the epiphysis during the juvenile period as terrestrial knuckle-walking becomes the primary form of locomotion. However, fusion of the epiphysis does not take place until 10-11 years of age, and overall trabecular structure does not fully reflect the adult pattern until 12 years of age, indicating a lag between adult-like behaviours and adult-like trabecular morphology. We found minimal differences in trabecular ontogeny between mountain and western lowland gorillas, despite presumed variation in the frequencies of arboreal locomotor behaviours. Altogether, ontogenetic changes in Gorilla metacarpal trabecular structure reflect overall genus-level changes in locomotor behaviours throughout development, but with some ontogenetic lag that should be considered when drawing functional conclusions from bone structure in extant or fossil adolescent specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Deckers
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK
| | - Zewdi J Tsegai
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthew M Skinner
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Angel Zeininger
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Tracy L Kivell
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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10
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Abstract
The fossil record is scarce and incomplete by nature. Animals and ecological processes devour soft tissue and important bony details over time and, when the dust settles, we are faced with a patchy record full of variation. Fossil taxa are usually defined by craniodental characteristics, so unless postcranial bones are found associated with a skull, assignment to taxon is unstable. Naming a locomotor category based on fossil bone morphology by analogy to living hominoids is not uncommon, and when no single locomotor label fits, postcrania are often described as exhibiting a 'mosaic' of traits. Here, we contend that the unavoidable variation that characterises the fossil record can be described far more rigorously based on extensive work in human neurobiology and neuroanatomy, movement sciences and motor control and biomechanics research. In neurobiology, degeneracy is a natural mechanism of adaptation allowing system elements that are structurally different to perform the same function. This concept differs from redundancy as understood in engineering, where the same function is performed by identical elements. Assuming degeneracy, structurally different elements are able to produce different outputs in a range of environmental contexts, favouring ecological robusticity by enabling adaptations. Furthermore, as degeneracy extends to genome level, genetic variation is sustained, so that genes which might benefit an organism in a different environment remain part of the genome, favouring species' evolvability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K. Davids
- Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
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11
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Veneziano A, Cazenave M, Alfieri F, Panetta D, Marchi D. Novel strategies for the characterization of cancellous bone morphology: Virtual isolation and analysis. Am J Phys Anthropol 2021; 175:920-930. [PMID: 33811768 PMCID: PMC8359981 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The advent of micro-computed tomography (μCT) made cancellous bone more accessible than ever before. Nevertheless, the characterization of cancellous bone is made difficult by its inherent complexity and the difficulties in defining homology across datasets. Here we propose novel virtual methodological approaches to overcome those issues and complement existing methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS We present a protocol for the isolation of the whole cancellous region within a μCT scanned bone. This method overcomes the subsampling issues and allows studying cancellous bone as a single unit. We test the protocol on a set of primate bones. In addition, we describe a set of morphological indices calculated on the topological skeleton of the cancellous bone: node density, node connectivity, trabecular angle, trabecular tortuosity, and fractal dimension. The usage of the indices is shown on a small comparative sample of primate femoral heads. RESULTS The isolation protocol proves reliable in isolating cancellous structures from several different bones, regardless of their shape. The indices seem to detect some functional differences, although further testing on comparative samples is needed to clarify their potential for the study of cancellous architecture. CONCLUSIONS The approaches presented overcome some of the difficulties of trabecular bone studies. The methods presented here represent an alternative or supporting method to the existing tools available to address the biomechanics of cancellous bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Veneziano
- Synchrotron Radiation for Medical Physics (SYRMEP), Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marine Cazenave
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre at the School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.,Department of Anatomy and Histology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Fabio Alfieri
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniele Panetta
- Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Damiano Marchi
- Department of Biology, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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12
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Chevalier T, Colard T, Colombo A, Golovanova L, Doronichev V, Hublin JJ. Early ontogeny of humeral trabecular bone in Neandertals and recent modern humans. J Hum Evol 2021; 154:102968. [PMID: 33774376 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.102968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Trabecular bone ontogeny is well known in modern humans and unknown in Neandertals. Yet the bone developmental pattern is useful for interpreting fossils from evolutionary and functional perspectives. Interestingly, microstructure in early ontogeny is supposedly not influenced by high and specific mechanical loading related to the lifestyle of a human group and consequently does not directly depend on the activities of hunter-gatherers. Here, we specifically explored the early growth trajectories of the trabecular bone structure of the humerus and emphasized in particular how bone fraction (bone volume/total volume [BV/TV]) was built up in Neandertals, given the specific modern human bone loss after birth and the use of BV/TV in functional studies. Six Neandertals and 26 recent modern humans ranging from perinates to adolescents were included in this study. Six trabecular parameters were measured within a cubic region of interest extracted from the proximal metaphysis of the humerus. We found that the microstructural changes in Neandertals during early ontogeny (<1 year) fit with modern human growth trajectories for each parameter. The specific bone loss occurring immediately after birth in modern humans also occurred in Neandertals (but not in chimpanzees). However, the early childhood fossil Ferrassie 6 presented unexpectedly high BV/TV, whereas the high BV/TV in the Crouzade I adolescent was predictable. These results suggest that Neandertals and modern humans shared predetermined early growth trajectories and developmental mechanisms. We assume that the close relationship between skeletal characteristics in early ontogeny and adults in modern humans also existed in Neandertals. However, it was difficult to ensure that the high BV/TV in Neandertal early childhood, represented by only one individual, was at the origin of the high BV/TV observed in adults. Consequently, our study does not challenge the mechanical hypothesis that explains the trabecular gracilization of the humerus during the Holocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Chevalier
- UMR 7194 HNHP, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, EPCC-CERP de Tautavel, Avenue Léon Jean Grégory 66720 Tautavel, France.
| | - Thomas Colard
- UMR 5199 PACEA, University of Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC; LabEx Sciences Archéologiques de Bordeaux, N°ANR-10-LABX-52, Bâtiment B8, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, CS50023, F-33615 Pessac, France; Department of Orthodontics, University of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Antony Colombo
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL University, Chair of Biological Anthropology Paul Broca, 4-14 Rue Ferrus, F-75014 Paris, France
| | | | | | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany; Chaire Internationale de Paléoanthropologie du Collège de France, 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris, France
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Cazenave M, Oettlé A, Pickering TR, Heaton JL, Nakatsukasa M, Francis Thackeray J, Hoffman J, Macchiarelli R. Trabecular organization of the proximal femur in Paranthropus robustus: Implications for the assessment of its hip joint loading conditions. J Hum Evol 2021; 153:102964. [PMID: 33713985 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.102964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Reconstruction of the locomotor repertoire of the australopiths (Australopithecus and Paranthropus) has progressively integrated information from the mechanosensitive internal structure of the appendicular skeleton. Recent investigations showed that the arrangement of the trabecular network at the femoral head center is biomechanically compatible with the pattern of cortical bone distribution across the neck, both suggesting a full commitment to bipedalism in australopiths, but associated with a slightly altered gait kinematics compared to Homo involving more lateral deviation of the body center of mass over the stance limb. To provide a global picture in Paranthropus robustus of the trabecular architecture of the proximal femur across the head, neck and greater trochanter compartments, we applied techniques of virtual imaging to the variably preserved Early Pleistocene specimens SK 82, SK 97, SK 3121, SKW 19 and SWT1/LB-2 from the cave site of Swartkrans, South Africa. We also assessed the coherence between the structural signals from the center of the head and those from the trabecular network of the inferolateral portion of the head and the inferior margin of the neck, sampling the so-called vertical bundle, which in humans represents the principal compressive system of the joint. Our analyses show a functionally related trabecular organization in Pa. robustus that closely resembles the extant human condition, but which also includes some specificities in local textural arrangement. The network of the inferolateral portion of the head shows a humanlike degree of anisotropy and a bone volume fraction intermediate between the extant human and the African ape patterns. These results suggest slight differences in gait kinematics between Pa. robustus and extant humans. The neck portion of the vertical bundle revealed a less biomechanically sensitive signal. Future investigations on the australopith hip joint loading environment should more carefully investigate the trabecular structure of the trochanteric region and possible structural covariation between cortical bone distribution across the neck and site-specific trabecular properties of the arcuate bundle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Cazenave
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
| | - Anna Oettlé
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Travis Rayne Pickering
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Plio-Pleistocene Palaeontology Section, Department of Vertebrates, Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (Transvaal Museum), Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jason L Heaton
- Department of Biology, Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Plio-Pleistocene Palaeontology Section, Department of Vertebrates, Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (Transvaal Museum), Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Masato Nakatsukasa
- Laboratory of Physical Anthropology, Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - J Francis Thackeray
- Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jakobus Hoffman
- South African Nuclear Energy Corporation SOC Ltd., Pelindaba, South Africa
| | - Roberto Macchiarelli
- Département Homme & Environnement, UMR 7194 CNRS, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, 75116, Paris, France; Unité de Formation Géosciences, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
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14
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Addison BJ, Lieberman DE. Assessing patterns of variation in BV/TV in the calcaneus and C2 vertebra of Gorilla gorilla, Pan troglodytes, and populations of Homo sapiens from the Pleistocene and Holocene that differ in physical activity levels. Am J Phys Anthropol 2021; 173:337-349. [PMID: 33448347 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Because trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV) is influenced by variations in physical activity recent declines in BV/TV in humans are often attributed to modern sedentary lifestyles. This study tests the hypothesis that presumed variations in mechanical loading between groups can predict the observed BV/TV patterns in humans, chimpanzees and gorillas in two bones: the calcaneus which experiences high and well characterized impact forces, and the C2 vertebrae which experiences reduced locomotor forces. MATERIALS AND METHODS BV/TV and other structural variables were quantified from high-resolution microCT scans in gorillas, chimpanzees, and four Homo sapiens populations: Pleistocene, semi-sedentary Natufians; Holocene hunter-gatherers from Point Hope, Alaska; Holocene nomadic pastoralists from medieval Europe; and modern, sedentary Americans. RESULTS In the calcaneal tuberosity, Natufian BV/TV was 36, 46, and 46% greater than Alaskans (p = .02), Europeans (p = .005) and modern Americans (p = .002), respectively, but not significantly different from apes. BV/TV was not significantly different between modern Americans and Alaskans or Europeans. In the C2, Natufian BV/TV was 53 and 25% greater than in the Alaskan (p = .0001) and European (p = .048) populations. DISCUSSION These results suggest that phenomena other than or in addition to variations in physical activity are needed to explain BV/TV patterns observed in H. sapiens, and point to a systemic decline in H. sapiens BV/TV after the Pleistocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Addison
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Daniel E Lieberman
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
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Saers JPP, Ryan TM, Stock JT. Baby steps towards linking calcaneal trabecular bone ontogeny and the development of bipedal human gait. J Anat 2020; 236:474-492. [PMID: 31725189 PMCID: PMC7018636 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Trabecular bone structure in adulthood is a product of a process of modelling during ontogeny and remodelling throughout life. Insight into ontogeny is essential to understand the functional significance of trabecular bone structural variation observed in adults. The complex shape and loading of the human calcaneus provides a natural experiment to test the relationship between trabecular morphology and locomotor development. We investigated the relationship between calcaneal trabecular bone structure and predicted changes in loading related to development of gait and body size in growing children. We sampled three main trabecular regions of the calcanei using micro-computed tomography scans of 35 individuals aged between neonate to adult from the Norris Farms #36 site (1300 AD, USA) and from Cambridge (1200-1500 AD, UK). Trabecular properties were calculated in volumes of interest placed beneath the calcaneocuboid joint, plantar ligaments, and posterior talar facet. At birth, thin trabecular struts are arranged in a dense and relatively isotropic structure. Bone volume fraction strongly decreases in the first year of life, whereas anisotropy and mean trabecular thickness increase. Dorsal compressive trabecular bands appear around the onset of bipedal walking, although plantar tensile bands develop prior to predicted propulsive toe-off. Bone volume fraction and anisotropy increase until the age of 8, when gait has largely matured. Connectivity density gradually reduces, whereas trabeculae gradually thicken from birth until adulthood. This study demonstrates that three different regions of the calcaneus develop into distinct adult morphologies through varying developmental trajectories. These results are similar to previous reports of ontogeny in human long bones and are suggestive of a relationship between the mechanical environment and trabecular bone architecture in the human calcaneus during growth. However, controlled experiments combined with more detailed biomechanical models of gait maturation are necessary to establish skeletal markers linking growth to loading. This has the potential to be a novel source of information for understanding loading levels, activity patterns, and perhaps life history in the fossil record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaap P. P. Saers
- Department of ArchaeologyMcDonald Institute for Archaeological ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Timothy M. Ryan
- Department of AnthropologyPennsylvania State UniversityState CollegePAUSA
| | - Jay T. Stock
- Department of ArchaeologyMcDonald Institute for Archaeological ResearchUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of Western OntarioLondonONCanada
- Department of ArchaeologyMax Planck Institute for the Science of Human HistoryJenaGermany
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Ragni AJ. Trabecular architecture of the capitate and third metacarpal through ontogeny in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). J Hum Evol 2019; 138:102702. [PMID: 31805487 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) both knuckle-walk in adulthood but are known to develop their locomotor strategies differently. Using dentally defined age-groups of both Pan and Gorilla and behavioral data from the literature, this study presents an internal trabecular bone approach to better understand the morphological ontogeny of knuckle-walking in these taxa. Capitate and third metacarpal bones were scanned by μCT at 23-43 μm resolution with scaled volumes of interest placed centrally within the head of the capitate and base of the third metacarpal. Trabecular measures related to activity level (size-adjusted bone volume/total volume, trabecular number, and bone surface area/bone volume) met expectations of decreasing through ontogeny in both taxa. Degree of anisotropy did not show statistical support for predicted species differences, but this may be due to the sample size as observed changes through ontogeny reflect expected trends in the capitate. Analyses of principal trabecular orientation corroborated known behavioral differences related to variation of hand use in these taxa, but only Pan showed directional patterning associated with suggested wrist posture. Assessment of allometry showed that the trabecular bone of larger animals is characterized by fewer and thinner trabeculae relative to bone size. In combination, these findings confirm the efficacy of trabecular bone in reflecting locomotor ontogeny differences between closely related taxa. These techniques show promise for use within the hominin fossil record, particularly for taxa hypothesized to be arboreal in some capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Ragni
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA; Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA.
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17
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Barak MM. Bone modeling or bone remodeling: That is the question. Am J Phys Anthropol 2019; 172:153-155. [PMID: 31710704 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Meir M Barak
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Long Island University, Brookville, New York
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