Linked morphological changes during palate evolution in early tetrapods

Critical review of diagnosis in rhinology and its therapeutical implications

Diagnosis in rhinology is currently based on the concept of inflammation (chronic rhinosinusitis [CRS]) or the clinical concept of chronic nasal dysfunction (CND). The complementarity between these two approaches can be discussed by a critical review of the literature structured by the analysis of the fundamental and diagnostic bases and the therapeutic implications linked to each. The concept of CRS is based on the anatomical continuity of the nasal and sinus respiratory mucosa and molecular biology data, seeking to analyze the mechanisms of chronic inflammation and to identify proteins and biomarkers involved in the different supposed endotypes of chronic inflammation of this mucosa. The concept of CND seeks to analyze medical, instrumental or surgical diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, taking account of both inflammatory and non-inflammatory causes impacting the anatomy or physiology of each of the three noses (olfactory, respiratory and sinus) that make up the mid-face sinonasal organ of evolution-development (Evo-Devo) theory. Thus, the concept of CRS offers an endotypic approach, based on biological characterization of mucosal inflammation, while the concept of CND offers a compartmentalized phenotypic and pathophysiological approach to sinonasal diseases. The joint contribution of these two concepts in characterizing nasal functional pathology could in future improve the medical service provided to patients.

The evo-devo origins of the nasopharynx

The process by which upper respiratory tract structures have changed over deep evolutionary time is, in part, reflected in the process of embryologic development. The nasopharynx in particular is a centrally located space bounded by components of the respiratory portion of the nasal cavity, cranial base, soft palate, and Eustachian tube. The development of these components can be understood both in terms of embryologic structures such as the branchial arches and paraxial mesoderm and through fossil evidence dating as far back as the earliest agnathan fish of the Cambrian Period. Understanding both the evolution and development of these structures has been an immeasurable benefit to the otolaryngologist seeking to model disease etiology of both common and rare conditions. This discussion is a primer for those who may be unfamiliar with the central importance of the nasopharynx both in terms of our evolutionary history and early embryological development of vital cranial and upper respiratory tract structures.

Polarized Sonic Hedgehog Protein Localization and a Shift in the Expression of Region-Specific Molecules Is Associated With the Secondary Palate Development in the Veiled Chameleon

Secondary palate development is characterized by the formation of two palatal shelves on the maxillary prominences, which fuse in the midline in mammalian embryos. However, in reptilian species, such as turtles, crocodilians, and lizards, the palatal shelves of the secondary palate develop to a variable extent and morphology. While in most Squamates, the palate is widely open, crocodilians develop a fully closed secondary palate. Here, we analyzed developmental processes that underlie secondary palate formation in chameleons, where large palatal shelves extend horizontally toward the midline. The growth of the palatal shelves continued during post-hatching stages and closure of the secondary palate can be observed in several adult animals. The massive proliferation of a multilayered oral epithelium and mesenchymal cells in the dorsal part of the palatal shelves underlined the initiation of their horizontal outgrowth, and was decreased later in development. The polarized cellular localization of primary cilia and Sonic hedgehog protein was associated with horizontal growth of the palatal shelves. Moreover, the development of large palatal shelves, supported by the pterygoid and palatine bones, was coupled with the shift in Meox2, Msx1, and Pax9 gene expression along the rostro-caudal axis. In conclusion, our results revealed distinctive developmental processes that contribute to the expansion and closure of the secondary palate in chameleons and highlighted divergences in palate formation across amniote species.

The Palatal Interpterygoid Vacuities of Temnospondyls and the Implications for the Associated Eye- and Jaw Musculature

A diagnostic feature of temnospondyls is the presence of an open palate with large interpterygoid vacuities, unlike the closed palate of most other early tetrapods, in which the vacuities are either slit-like or completely absent. Attachment sites on neurocranium and palatal bones in temnospondyls allow the reconstruction of a powerful m. retractor bulbi and a large, sheet-like m. levator bulbi that formed the elastic floor of the orbit. This muscle arrangement indicates that temnospondyls were able to retract the eyeballs through the interpterygoid vacuities into the buccal cavity, like extant frogs and salamanders. In contrast, attachment sites on palate and neurocranium suggest a rather sauropsid-like arrangement of these muscles in stem-tetrapods and stem-amniotes. However, the anteriorly enlarged, huge interpterygoid vacuities of long-snouted stereospondyls suggest that eye retraction was not the only function of the vacuities here, since the eye-muscles filled only the posterior part of the vacuities. We propose an association of the vacuities in temnospondyls with a long, preorbital part of the m. adductor mandibulae internus (AMIa). The trochlea-like, anterior edge of the adductor chamber suggests that a tendon of the AMIa was redirected in an anteromedial direction in the preorbital skull and dorsal to the pterygoids. This tendon then unfolded into a wide aponeurosis bearing the flattened AMIa that filled almost the complete interpterygoid vacuities anterior to the orbits. Our muscle reconstructions permit comprehensive insights to the comparative soft tissue anatomy of early tetrapods and provide the basis for a biomechanic analysis of biting performances in the future. Anat Rec, 300:1240-1269, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vomero-premaxillary joint: A marker of evolution of the species

OBJECTIVE

According to evolutionary developmental (evo-devo) theory, the vomers are bones derived from the secondary palate. Growth of the palatine processes of the maxillae, including the precursors of vomer bones, results in midline fusion posteriorly to the primary palate, which forces the ascension of the vomer bones towards the primary nasal septum, formed by septal cartilage and the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid. According to this hypothesis, the anterior border of the vomer articulates with the posterior surface of the premaxilla in the incisive canal (IC).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The objective of this retrospective study was to measure the degree of impaction of the anteroinferior angle of the vomer in the IC on CT scans showing a non-deformed nasal septum. Thirty-two out of a series of 506 nasal sinus CT scans were used to obtain measurements on coronal sections of non-deformed septa through the IC.

RESULTS

Thirty-one of the 32 vomers were impacted in the IC. In the case of a Y-shaped vomer (n=26), 43% of the length of the vomer was impacted in 41% of the length of the IC. In the case of I-shaped vomers (n=6), 34% of the length of the vomer was impacted in 41% of the length of the IC. The only vomer that did not impact into the IC was Y-shaped.

CONCLUSION

Impaction of the vomer in the IC posteriorly to the premaxilla can be explained by the evo-devo concept of the formation of the nasal cavities. In contrast, the classical embryological description of the formation of the nasal septum cannot provide an explanation for impaction of the vomer.

Embryology of the nose: The evo-devo concept

Aim was to gather relevant knowledge in evolution and development to find a rational explanation for the intricate and elaborate anatomy of the nose. According to classic embryology, the philtrum of the upper lip, nasal dorsum, septum and primary palate develop from the intermaxillary process, and the lateral walls of the nasal pyramid from the lateral nasal processes. The palatal shelves, which are outgrowths of the maxillary processes, form the secondary palate. The median nasal septum develops inferiorly from the roof of the nasal cavity. These valuable embryologic data do not explain the complex intricacy of the many anatomical structures comprising the nose. The evo-devo theory offers a rational explanation to this complex anatomy. Phylogenically, the nose develops as an olfactory organ in fish before becoming respiratory in tetrapods. During development, infolding of the olfactory placodes occurs, bringing the medial olfactory processes to form the septolateral cartilage while the lateral olfactory processes form the alar cartilages. The olfactory fascia units these cartilages to the olfactory mucosa, that stays separated from brain by the cartilaginous olfactory capsule (the ethmoid bone forerunner). Phylogenically, the respiratory nose develops between mouth and olfactory nose by rearrangement of the dermal bones of the secondary palate, which appears in early tetrapods. During development, the palatal shelves develop into the palatine processes of the maxillary bones, and with the vomer, palatine, pterygoid and inferior turbinate bones form the walls of the nasal cavity after regression of the transverse lamina. Applying the evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) discipline on our present knowledge of development, anatomy and physiology of the nose, significantly expands and places this knowledge in proper perspective. The clinicopathologies of nasal polyposis, for example, occurs specifically in the ethmoid labyrinth or, woodworker’s adenocarcinomas, occurring only in the olfactory cleft can now be explained by employing the evo-devo approach. A full understanding of the evo-devo discipline, as it pertains to head and neck anatomy, has profound implications to the otolaryngologist empowering his skills and abilities, and ultimately translating in improving surgical outcomes and maximizing patient care.

Recent insights into the morphological diversity in the amniote primary and secondary palates

The assembly of the upper jaw is a pivotal moment in the embryonic development of amniotes. The upper jaw forms from the fusion of the maxillary, medial nasal, and lateral nasal prominences, resulting in an intact upper lip/beak and nasal cavities; together called the primary palate. This process of fusion requires a balance of proper facial prominence shape and positioning to avoid craniofacial clefting, whilst still accommodating the vast phenotypic diversity of adult amniotes. As such, variation in craniofacial ontogeny is not tolerated beyond certain bounds. For clarity, we discuss primary palatogenesis of amniotes into in two categories, according to whether the nasal and oral cavities remain connected throughout ontogeny or not. The transient separation of these cavities occurs in mammals and crocodilians, while remaining connected in birds, turtles and squamates. In the latter group, the craniofacial prominences fuse around a persistent choanal groove that connects the nasal and oral cavities. Subsequently, all lineages except for turtles, develop a secondary palate that ultimately completely or partially separates oral and nasal cavities. Here, we review the shared, early developmental events and highlight the points at which development diverges in both primary and secondary palate formation.

Divergent palate morphology in turtles and birds correlates with differences in proliferation and BMP2 expression during embryonic development

During embryonic development, amniotes typically form outgrowths from the medial sides of the maxillary prominences called palatal shelves or palatine processes. In mammals the shelves fuse in the midline and form a bony hard palate that completely separates the nasal and oral cavities. In birds and lizards, palatine processes develop but remain unfused, leaving a natural cleft. Adult turtles do not possess palatine processes and unlike other amniotes, the internal nares open into the oral cavity. Here we investigate craniofacial ontogeny in the turtle, Emydura subglobosa to determine whether vestigial palatine processes develop and subsequently regress, or whether development fails entirely. We found that the primary palate in turtles develops similarly to other amniotes, but secondary palate ontogeny diverges. Using histology, cellular dynamics and in situ hybridization we found no evidence of palatine process development at any time during ontogeny of the face in the turtle. Furthermore, detailed comparisons with chicken embryos (the model organism most closely related to turtles from a molecular phylogeny perspective), we identified differences in proliferation and gene expression patterns that correlate with the differences in palate morphology. We propose that, in turtles, palatine process outgrowth is never initiated due to a lack of mesenchymal bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) expression in the maxillary mesenchyme, which in turn fails to induce the relatively higher cellular proliferation required for medial tissue outgrowth. It is likely that these differences between turtles and birds arose after the divergence of the lineage leading to modern turtles.

Examination of a palatogenic gene program in zebrafish

Human palatal clefting is debilitating and difficult to rectify surgically. Animal models enhance our understanding of palatogenesis and are essential in strategies designed to ameliorate palatal malformations in humans. Recent studies have shown that the zebrafish palate, or anterior neurocranium, is under similar genetic control to the amniote palatal skeleton. We extensively analyzed palatogenesis in zebrafish to determine the similarity of gene expression and function across vertebrates. By 36 hours postfertilization (hpf) palatogenic cranial neural crest cells reside in homologous regions of the developing face compared with amniote species. Transcription factors and signaling molecules regulating mouse palatogenesis are expressed in similar domains during palatogenesis in zebrafish. Functional investigation of a subset of these genes, fgf10a, tgfb2, pax9, and smad5 revealed their necessity in zebrafish palatogenesis. Collectively, these results suggest that the gene regulatory networks regulating palatogenesis may be conserved across vertebrate species, demonstrating the utility of zebrafish as a model for palatogenesis.