The biology of acellular teleost bone

The 3D organization of the mineralized scales of the sturgeon has structures reminiscent of dentin and bone: A FIB-SEM study

Scales are structures composed of mineralized collagen fibrils embedded in the skin of fish. Here we investigate structures contributing to the bulk of the scale material of the sturgeon (Acipencer guldenstatii) at the millimeter, micrometer and nanometer length scales. Polished and fracture surfaces were prepared in each of the three anatomic planes for imaging with light and electron microscopy, as well as focused ion beam - scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). The scale is composed of three layers, upper and lower layers forming the bulk of the scale, as well as a thin surface layer. FTIR shows that the scale is composed mainly of collagen and carbonated hydroxyapatite. Lacunae are present throughout the structure. Fracture surfaces of all three layers are characterized by large diameter collagen fibril bundles (CFBs) emanating from a plane comprising smaller diameter CFBs orientated in different directions. Fine lineations seen in polished surfaces of both major layers are used to define planes called here the striation planes. FIB-SEM image stacks of the upper and lower layers acquired in planes aligned with the striation planes, show that CFBs are oriented in various directions within the striation plane, with larger CFBs emanating from the striation plane. Fibril bundles oriented in different directions in the same plane is reminiscent of a similar organization in orthodentin. The large collagen fibril bundles emanating out of this plane are analogous to von Korff fibrils found in developing dentin with respect to size and orientation. Scales of the sturgeon are unusual in that their mineralized collagen fibril organization contains structural elements of both dentin and bone. The sturgeon scale may be an example of an early evolved mineralized material which is neither bone nor dentin but contains characteristics of both materials, however, the fossil data required to confirm this is missing.

The complex rostral morphology and the endoskeleton ossification process of two adult samples of Xiphias gladius (Xiphiidae)

The authors studied the morphology of the upper and lower jaws, vertebrae and dorsal-fin rays of the teleost fish Xiphias gladius to analyse the skeletal architecture and ossification pattern. The analogies and differences among these segments were investigated to identify a common morphogenetic denominator of the bone tissue osteogenesis and modeling. The large fat glands in the proximal upper jaw and their relationship to the underlying cartilage (absent in the lower jaw) suggested that there is a mechanism that explains rostral overgrowth in the Xiphiidae and Istiophoriidae families. Thus far, the compact structure of the distal rostrum has been interpreted as being the result of remodeling. Nonetheless, no evidence of cutting cones, scalloped outer border of osteons and sequence of bright-dark bands in polarized light was observed in this study, suggesting a primary osteon texture formed by compacting of collagen matrix and mineral deposition in the fat stroma lacunae of the bone, but without being oriented in layers of the collagen fibrils. A similar histology also characterizes the circular structures present in the other examined segments of the skeleton. The early phases of fibrillogenesis carried out by fibroblast-like cells occurred farther from the already-calcified bone surface inside the fat stroma lacunae. The fibrillar matrix was compacted and underwent mineral deposition near the previously calcified bone surface. This pattern of collagen matrix synthesis and calcification was different from that of mammalian osteoblasts, especially concerning the ability to build a lacuno-canalicular system among cells. Necrosis or apoptosis of the latter and refilling of the empty lacunae by mineral deposits might explain the anosteocytic bone formation.

A comparison of the structure, composition and mechanical properties of anosteocytic vertebrae of medaka (O. latipes) and osteocytic vertebrae of zebrafish (D. rerio)

Medaka (O. latipes) and zebrafish (D. rerio) are two teleost fish increasingly used as models to study human skeletal diseases. Although they are similar in size, swimming pattern and many other characteristics, these two species are very distant from an evolutionary point of view (by at least 100 million years). A prominent difference between the skeletons of medaka and zebrafish is the total absence of osteocytes in medaka (anosteocytic), while zebrafish bone contains numerous osteocytes (osteocytic). This fundamental difference suggests the possibility that the bony elements of their skeleton may be different in a variety of other aspects, structural, mechanical or both, particularly in heavily loaded bones like the vertebrae. Here we report on the results of a comparative study that aimed to determine the similarities and differences in medaka and zebrafish vertebrae in terms of their macro- to nanostructure, composition and mechanical properties. Our results reveal many similarities between medaka and zebrafish vertebrae, making the lack or presence of osteocytes the only major difference between the bones of these two species.

Bone metabolism and evolutionary origin of osteocytes: Novel application of FIB-SEM tomography

Lacunae and canaliculi spaces of osteocytes are remarkably well preserved in fossilized bone and serve as an established proxy for bone cells. The earliest bone in the fossil record is acellular (anosteocytic), followed by cellular (osteocytic) bone in the jawless relatives of jawed vertebrates, the osteostracans, about 400 million years ago. Virtually nothing is known about the physiological pressures that would have initially favored osteocytic over anosteocytic bone. We apply focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy tomography combined with machine learning for cell detection and segmentation to image fossil cell spaces. Novel three-dimensional high-resolution images reveal areas of low density around osteocyte lacunae and their canaliculi in osteostracan bone. This provides evidence for demineralization that would have occurred in vivo as part of osteocytic osteolysis, a mechanism of mineral homeostasis, supporting the hypothesis that a physiological demand for phosphorus was the principal driver in the initial evolution of osteocytic bone.

The nature of aspidin and the evolutionary origin of bone

Bone is the key innovation underpinning the evolution of the vertebrate skeleton, yet its origin is mired by debate over interpretation of the most primitive bone-like tissue, aspidin. This has variously been interpreted as cellular bone, acellular bone, dentine or as an intermediate of dentine and bone. The crux of the controversy is the nature of unmineralised spaces pervading the aspidin matrix, which have alternatively been interpreted as having housed cells, cell processes, or Sharpey’s Fibres. Discriminating between these hypotheses has been hindered by the limits of traditional histological methods. Here we use Synchrotron X-ray Tomographic Microscopy (srXTM) to reveal the nature of aspidin. We show the spaces exhibit a linear morphology, incompatible with interpretations that they represent voids left by cells or cell processes. Instead, these spaces represent intrinsic collagen fibre bundles that form a scaffold, about which mineral was deposited. Aspidin is thus acellular dermal bone. We reject hypotheses that it is a type of dentine, cellular bone, or transitional tissue. Our study suggests the full repertoire of skeletal tissue types was established prior to the divergence of the earliest known skeletonising vertebrates, indicating that the corresponding cell types evolved rapidly following the divergence of cyclostomes and gnathostomes.

Ontogenesis of opercular deformities in gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata: a histological description

The aim of this study was to characterize histological changes during opercular osteogenesis in farmed gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata larvae from 7 to 69 days post hatching (dph) and compare normal osteogenesis with that of deformed opercles. Mild opercular deformities were first detected in 19 dph larvae by folding of the opercle's distal edge into the gill chamber. Here, the variation in the phenotype and the irregular bone structure at the curled part of the opercles is described and compared with the histology of normal opercles. Results indicated that deformed opercles still undergo bone growth with the addition of new matrix by osteoblasts at the opercular surface, especially at its edges. No significant difference was found in bone thickness between deformed and normal opercles. In addition to differences in bone architecture, differences in collagen fibre thickness between normal and deformed opercles were also found.

Structure, composition, mechanics and growth of spines of the dorsal fin of blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus and common carp Cyprinus carpio

The structural, compositional and mechanical properties of the spines of the dorsal fin in mature anosteocytic blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus and osteocytic common carp Cyprinus carpio are described, as well as their temporal growth pattern and regenerative capacities. The three-dimensional architecture of both spines, from macro to sub-micron levels, is shown to be axially oriented and therefore highly anisotropic and the spines of both species are able to regenerate after partial amputation.

Functional bone histology of zebrafish reveals two types of endochondral ossification, different types of osteoblast clusters and a new bone type

The zebrafish is as an important vertebrate animal model system for studying developmental processes, gene functions and signalling pathways. It is also used as a model system for the understanding of human developmental diseases including those related to the skeleton. However, surprisingly little is known about normal zebrafish skeletogenesis and osteogenesis. As in most vertebrates, it is commonly known that the bones of adult zebrafish are cellular unlike that of some other teleosts. After careful histological analyses of each zebrafish adult bone, we identified several acellular bones, with no entrapped osteocytes in addition to several cellular bones. We show that both cellular and acellular bones can even occur within the same skeletal element and transitions between these two cell types can be found. Furthermore, we describe two types of osteoblast clusters during skeletogenesis and two different types of endochondral ossification. The epiphyseal plate, for example, lacks a zone of calcification and a degradation zone with osteoblasts. A new bone type that we term tubular bone was also identified. This bone is completely filled with adipose tissue, unlike spongy bones. This study provides important insight on how osteogenesis takes place in zebrafish, and especially on the transition from cellular to acellular bones. Overall, this study leads to a deeper understanding of the functional histological composition of adult zebrafish bones.

Comparative histology of some craniofacial sutures and skull-base synchondroses in non-avian dinosaurs and their extant phylogenetic bracket

Sutures and synchondroses, the fibrous and cartilaginous articulations found in the skulls of vertebrates, have been studied for many biological applications at the morphological scale. However, little is known about these articulations at the microscopic scale in non-mammalian vertebrates, including extant archosaurs (birds and crocodilians). The major goals of this paper were to: (i) document the microstructure of some sutures and synchondroses through ontogeny in archosaurs; (ii) compare these microstructures with previously published sutural histology (i.e. that of mammals); and (iii) document how these articulations with different morphological degrees of closure (open or obliterated) appear histologically. This was performed with histological analyses of skulls of emus, American alligators, a fossil crocodilian and ornithischian dinosaurs (hadrosaurids, pachycephalosaurids and ceratopsids). Emus and mammals possess a sutural periosteum until sutural fusion, but it disappears rapidly during ontogeny in American alligators. This study identified seven types of sutural mineralized tissues in extant and extinct archosaurs and grouped them into four categories: periosteal tissues; acellular tissues; fibrous tissues; and intratendinous tissues. Due to the presence of a periosteum in their sutures, emus and mammals possess periosteal tissues at their sutural borders. The mineralized sutural tissues of crocodilians and ornithischian dinosaurs are more variable and can also develop via a form of necrosis for acellular tissues and metaplasia for fibrous and intratendinous tissues. It was hypothesized that non-avian dinosaurs, like the American alligator, lacked a sutural periosteum and that their primary mode of ossification involved the direct mineralization of craniofacial sutures (instead of intramembranous ossification found in mammals and birds). However, we keep in mind that a bird-like sutural microstructure might have arisen within non-avian saurichians. While synchondroseal histology is relatively similar in archosaurs and mammals, the microstructural differences between the sutures of these two clades are undeniable. Moreover, the current results suggest that the degree of sutural closure can only accurately be known via microstructural analyses. This study sheds light on the microstructure and growth of archosaurian sutures and synchondroses, and reveals a unique, undocumented histological diversity in non-avian dinosaur skulls.

Vertebrae length and ultra-structure measurements of collagen fibrils and mineral content in the vertebrae of lordotic gilthead seabreams (Sparus aurata)

Skeletal deformities of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) are a major factor affecting the production cost, the external morphology and survival and growth of the fish. Adult individuals of S. aurata were collected from a commercial fish farm in Greece and were divided into two groups: one with the presence of lordosis, a skeletal deformity, and one without any skeletal deformity. Fishes were X-rayed, and cervical, abdominal and caudal vertebrae lengths were measured. Vertebrae were taken from the site of the vertebral column where lordosis occurred. One part was decalcified and prepared for collagen examination with transmission electron microscopy, and the rest were incinerated, and the Ca and P contents were measured. The stoichiometries of the samples were obtained by EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy). The same procedure was followed for fish without skeletal deformities (vertebrae were taken from the middle region of the vertebral column). The decalcified vertebrae parts were examined with TEM, collagen micrographs were taken and the fibrils' periods and diameters were measured. There were no significant differences for both Ca and P or the collagen fibrils' periods between the two fish groups. The mean lengths of the cervical, abdominal and caudal vertebrae where lordosis occurred were similar to the lengths of the respective regions of the individuals without the skeletal deformity. The TEM examination showed a significantly smaller mean vertebrae collagen fibril diameter from the fishes with lordosis compared with those from the controls, revealing the significance of collagen to bone structure.

Fin spine bone resorption in atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, and comparison between wild and captive-reared specimens

Bone resorption in the first spine of the first dorsal fin of Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT) has long been considered for age estimation studies. In the present paper spine bone resorption was assessed in wild (aged 1 to 13 years) and captive-reared (aged 2 to 11 years) ABFT sampled from the Mediterranean Sea. Total surface (TS), solid surface (SS) and reabsorbed surface (RS) were measured in spine transverse sections in order to obtain proportions of SS and RS. The spine section surface was found to be isometrically correlated to the fish fork length by a power equation. The fraction of solid spine bone progressively decreased according to a logarithmic equation correlating SS/TS to both fish size and age. The values ranged from 57% in the smallest examined individuals to 37% in the largest specimens. This phenomenon was further enhanced in captive-reared ABFT where SS/TS was 22% in the largest measured specimen. The difference between the fraction of SS of wild and captive-reared ABFT was highly significant. In each year class from 1- to 7-year-old wild specimens, the fraction of spine reabsorbed surface was significantly higher in specimens collected from March to May than in those sampled during the rest of the year. In 4-year-old fish the normal SS increase during the summer did not occur, possibly coinciding with their first sexual maturity. According to the correlations between SS/TS and age, the rate of spine bone resorption was significantly higher, even almost double, in captive-reared specimens. This could be attributed to the wider context of systemic dysfunctions occurring in reared ABFT, and may be related to a number of factors, including nutritional deficiencies, alteration of endocrine profile, cortisol-induced stress, and loss of spine functions during locomotion in rearing conditions.

The three-dimensional structure of anosteocytic lamellated bone of fish

Fish represent the most diverse and numerous of the vertebrate clades. In contrast to the bones of all tetrapods and evolutionarily primitive fish, many of the evolutionarily more advanced fish have bones that do not contain osteocytes. Here we use a variety of imaging techniques to show that anosteocytic fish bone is composed of a sequence of planar layers containing mainly aligned collagen fibrils, in which the prevailing principal orientation progressively spirals. When the sequence of fibril orientations completes a rotation of around 180°, a thin layer of poorly oriented fibrils is present between it and the next layer. The thick layer of aligned fibrils and the thin layer of non-aligned fibrils constitute a lamella. Although both basic components of mammalian lamellar bone are found here as well, the arrangement is unique, and we therefore call this structure lamellated bone. We further show that the lamellae of anosteocytic fish bone contain an array of dense, small-diameter (1-4 μm) bundles of hypomineralized collagen fibrils that are oriented mostly orthogonal to the lamellar plane. Results of mechanical tests conducted on beams from anosteocytic fish bone and human cortical bone show that the fish bones are less stiff but much tougher than the human bones. We propose that the unique lamellar structure and the orthogonal hypomineralized collagen bundles are responsible for the unusual mechanical properties and mineral distribution in anosteocytic fish bone.

Remodeling in bone without osteocytes: billfish challenge bone structure-function paradigms

A remarkable property of tetrapod bone is its ability to detect and remodel areas where damage has accumulated through prolonged use. This process, believed vital to the long-term health of bone, is considered to be initiated and orchestrated by osteocytes, cells within the bone matrix. It is therefore surprising that most extant fishes (neoteleosts) lack osteocytes, suggesting their bones are not constantly repaired, although many species exhibit long lives and high activity levels, factors that should induce considerable fatigue damage with time. Here, we show evidence for active and intense remodeling occurring in the anosteocytic, elongated rostral bones of billfishes (e.g., swordfish, marlins). Despite lacking osteocytes, this tissue exhibits a striking resemblance to the mature bone of large mammals, bearing structural features (overlapping secondary osteons) indicating intensive tissue repair, particularly in areas where high loads are expected. Billfish osteons are an order of magnitude smaller in diameter than mammalian osteons, however, implying that the nature of damage in this bone may be different. Whereas billfish bone material is as stiff as mammalian bone (unlike the bone of other fishes), it is able to withstand much greater strains (relative deformations) before failing. Our data show that fish bone can exhibit far more complex structure and physiology than previously known, and is apparently capable of localized repair even without the osteocytes believed essential for this process. These findings challenge the unique and primary role of osteocytes in bone remodeling, a basic tenet of bone biology, raising the possibility of an alternative mechanism driving this process.

Divergence in skeletal mass and bone morphology in antarctic notothenioid fishes

Although notothenioid fishes lack swim bladders, some species live temporarily or permanently in the water column. Given its relatively high density, skeletal mass is a key determinant of buoyancy. Notothenioids have reduced skeletal ossification, but there is little quantitative data on the phylogenetic distribution of this trait. We obtained dry skeletal masses for 54 specimens representing 20 species from six notothenioid families. Although comparative data are sparse, notothenioid skeletons comprise a smaller percentage of body mass, <3.5%, than those of three non-notothenioid perciforms. With relatively high skeletal mass, the non-Antarctic Bovichtus diacanthus is similar in skeletal mass to some non-notothenioids. Eleginops maclovinus, the non-Antarctic sister group of the Antarctic clade, has a relatively light skeleton (<2% of body mass) similar to many species in the Antarctic clade. Low skeletal mass is therefore a synapomorphy shared by Eleginops plus the Antarctic clade. We provide gross, histological, and micro-CT documentation of the structure and location of bone and cartilage in skulls, pectoral girdles, and vertebrae, with emphasis on the bovichtid B. diacanthus, the eleginopsid E. maclovinus, and the channichthyid Chaenodraco wilsoni. In Eleginops and the Antarctic clade, most bone is spongy and most species have persisting cartilage in the skull and appendicular skeleton. We also measured the relative size of the notochordal canal in adult vertebral centra of 38 species representing all eight families. There is considerable interspecific variation in this pedomorphic trait and all species show an ontogenetic reduction in the relative size of the canal. However, large persisting canals are present in adults of the Antarctic clade, especially in the nototheniids Pleuragramma and Aethotaxis and in a number of bathydraconid and channichthyid genera.

Comparison of structural, architectural and mechanical aspects of cellular and acellular bone in two teleost fish

The histological diversity of the skeletal tissues of fishes is impressive compared with that of other vertebrate groups, yet our understanding of the functional consequences of this diversity is limited. In particular, although it has been known since the mid-1800s that a large number of fish species possess acellular bones, the mechanical advantages and consequences of this structural characteristic – and therefore the nature of the evolution of this feature – remain unclear. Although several studies have examined the material properties of fish bone, these have used a variety of techniques and there have been no direct contrasts of acellular and cellular bone. We report on a comparison of the structural and mechanical properties of the ribs and opercula between two freshwater fish – the common carp Cyprinus carpio (a fish with cellular bone) and the tilapia Oreochromis aureus (a fish with acellular bone). We used light microscopy to show that the bones in both fish species exhibit poor blood supply and possess discrete tissue zones, with visible layering suggesting differences in the underlying collagen architecture. We performed identical micromechanical testing protocols on samples of the two bone types to determine the mechanical properties of the bone material of opercula and ribs. Our data support the consensus of literature values, indicating that Young’s moduli of cellular and acellular bones are in the same range, and lower than Young’s moduli of the bones of mammals and birds. Despite these similarities in mechanical properties between the bone tissues of the fish species tested here, cellular bone had significantly lower mineral content than acellular bone; furthermore, the percentage ash content and bone mineral density values (derived from micro-CT scans) show that the bone of these fishes is less mineralized than amniote bone. Although we cannot generalize from our data to the numerous remaining teleost species, the results presented here suggest that while cellular and acellular fish bone may perform similarly from a mechanical standpoint, there are previously unappreciated differences in the structure and composition of these bone types.

Formation of dermal skeletal and dental tissues in fish: a comparative and evolutionary approach

Osteichthyan and chondrichthyan fish present an astonishing diversity of skeletal and dental tissues that are often difficult to classify into the standard textbook categories of bone, cartilage, dentine and enamel. To address the question of how the tissues of the dermal skeleton evolved from the ancestral situation and gave rise to the diversity actually encountered, we review previous data on the development of a number of dermal skeletal elements (odontodes, teeth and dermal denticles, cranial dermal bones, postcranial dermal plates and scutes, elasmoid and ganoid scales, and fin rays). A comparison of developmental stages at the tissue level usually allows us to identify skeletogenic cell populations as either odontogenic or osteogenic on the basis of the place of formation of their dermal papillae and of the way of deposition of their tissues. Our studies support the evolutionary affinities (1) between odontodes, teeth and denticles, (2) between the ganoid scales of polypterids and the elasmoid scales of teleosts, and (3) to a lesser degree between the different bony elements. There is now ample evidence to ascertain that the tissues of the elasmoid scale are derived from dental and not from bony tissues. This review demonstrates the advantage that can be taken from developmental studies, at the tissue level, to infer evolutionary relationships within the dermal skeleton in chondrichthyans and osteichthyans.

Cloning of a fragment of the osteonectin gene from goldfish, Carassius auratus: its expression and potential regulation by estrogen

During reproduction, female teleost fish display increased plasma estrogen and greatly increased total plasma calcium concentrations; the main source of this calcium seems to be the scale. Osteonectin, a collagen-binding glycoprotein, is a major noncollagenous constituent of mammalian bone and is a product mainly of the osteoblasts. RT-PCT has been applied to clone and sequence part of the osteonectin gene from the goldfish, Carassius auratus. The use of a goldfish scale cell line (GFS) and a specific probe to goldfish osteonectin mRNA has allowed the study of the potential effects of estrogen and other calcitropic hormones on the cells derived from the scales. Osteonectin mRNA was detected in teleost bone, scale, and GFS cells by Northern blot analysis, hybridising to a transcript of approximately 1.6 kb. Expression of osteonectin mRNA was markedly down-regulated by 17beta-estradiol (10(-8) to 10(-11) M) in a dose-dependent fashion but was unaffected by calcitriol, TGFbeta, IL-1beta, calcitonin, and PTHrP. Down-regulation of osteonectin by estrogen is further evidence that estrogen participates in calcium homeostasis during vitellogenesis, acting directly on the cells responsible for matrix and mineral fluxes in scales.

Histological identification of osteocytes in the allegedly acellular bone of the sea breams Acanthopagrus australis, Pagrus auratus and Rhabdosargus sarba (Sparidae, Perciformes, Teleostei)

The bone of advanced teleost fishes such as those of the family Sparidae is said to lack osteocytes or to be acellular. Acellularity has been determined by apparent lack of osteocyte lacunae. This study questions the validity of this criterion. Scanning electron and light microscopy of paraffin and resin sections were used to show that the sides of sea bream mandibles consist of laminar parallel-fibred bone that we call tubular bone, because it contains tubules, and localised regions of Sharpey fibre bone. Osteocytes lie along the walls of tubules that also contain collagen fibril bundles (T-fibres), or in the lumens of tubules that do not contain T-fibres. We show that the osteocytes are derived from osteoblasts. The T-fibre system is different from other fibre systems that have been described. The tubules enclose wide T-fibres (lenticular in cross-section, maximum width about 8 microns) that taper at their ends and continue as thin T-fibres (round in cross-section, about 2 microns wide). The T-fibres originate in the periosteum. In mature tubular bone, spaces of increasing size develop around the osteocytes. Osteocytes are released from the bone matrix and become postosteocytes or bone-lining cells. Secondary bone lines the largest spaces. In Sharpey fibre bone, small osteocytes in small lacunae (about 2 microns wide) are found in columns parallel to the Sharpey fibres. Large osteocytes are found in large round spaces and are much larger than comparable osteocytes in lacunae in the bone of the salmon Salmo salar. We conclude that an absence of visible or conventional osteocyte lacunae does not mean that the cells themselves are absent. There are cells and two types of collagen fibre bundle in the tubules. The cells are osteocytes derived from osteoblasts, and these osteocytes apparently resorb bone with the result that large amounts of bone are destroyed. "Acellular" tubular and Sharpey fibre bone are types of cellular bone that differ from each other and from conventional cellular bone.

Interactions of the lepidotrichial matrix components during tail fin regeneration in teleosts

Teleost fin rays are able to regenerate, when they are cut, restoring the whole structure in a few weeks. Following the formation and growth of an apical blastema, deposition of lepidotrichial matrix occurs. We have histo and immunochemically analyzed the maturation process of the lepidotrichial hemisegment, pointing out the interactions between their components and likewise the temporal and spatial distribution of some extracellular matrix components during regeneration. Lepidotrichial matrix is rich in sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), most of which are forming proteoglycans. Collagen is abundant and it strongly interacts with GAGs, as the tissue differentiates. The use of specific digestions with papain and collagenase suggests that some mannose rich glycoproteins may be also implicated in lepidotrichial maturation before mineralization. In each hemisegment a central band (CB) can be observed. In spite of the histochemical similarities between the CB and the subepidermical basement membrane, neither collagen IV nor laminin are present. This CB could be the result of a transient transdifferentiation of the outer lepidotrichial synthesizing cells.

Development and evolutionary origins of vertebrate skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues

This review deals with the following seven aspects of vertebrate skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues. 1. The evolutionary sequence in which the tissues appeared amongst the lower craniate taxa. 2. The topographic association between skeletal (cartilage, bone) and dental (dentine, cement, enamel) tissues in the oldest vertebrates of each major taxon. 3. The separate developmental origin of the exo- and endoskeletons. 4. The neural-crest origin of cranial skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues in extant vertebrates. 5. The neural-crest origin of trunk dermal skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues in extant vertebrates. 6. The developmental processes that control differentiation of skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues in extant vertebrates. 7. Maintenance of developmental interactions regulating skeletogenic/odontogenic differentiation across vertebrate taxa. We derive twelve postulates, eight relating to the earliest vertebrate skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues and four relating to the development of these tissues in extant vertebrates and extrapolate the developmental data back to the evolutionary origin of vertebrate skeletogenic and odontogenic tissues. The conclusions that we draw from this analysis are as follows. 8. The dermal exoskeleton of thelodonts, heterostracans and osteostracans consisted of dentine, attachment tissue (cement or bone), and bone. 9. Cartilage (unmineralized) can be inferred to have been present in heterostracans and osteostracans, and globular mineralized cartilage was present in Eriptychius, an early Middle Ordovician vertebrate unassigned to any established group, but assumed to be a stem agnathan. 10. Enamel and possibly also enameloid was present in some early agnathans of uncertain affinities. The majority of dentine tubercles were bare. 11. The contemporaneous appearance of cellular and acellular bone in heterostracans and osteostracans during the Ordovician provides no clue as to whether one is more primitive than the other. 12. We interpret aspidin as being developmentally related to the odontogenic attachment tissues, either closer to dentine or a form of cement, rather than as derived from bone. 13. Dentine is present in the stratigraphically oldest (Cambrian) assumed vertebrate fossils, at present some only included as Problematica, and is cladistically primitive, relative to bone. 14. The first vertebrate exoskeletal skeletogenic ability was expressed as denticles of dentine. 15. Dentine, the bone of attachment associated with dentine, the basal bone to which dermal denticles are fused and cartilage of the Ordovician agnathan dermal exoskeleton were all derived from the neural crest and not from mesoderm. Therefore the earliest vertebrate skeletogenic/odontogenic tissues were of neural-crest origin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Ultrastructure of the osteogenesis of acellular vertebral bone in the Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes (Teleostei, Cyprinidontidae)

An ultrastructural study by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the vertebrae of embryonic, larval, juvenile and mature medaka shows that each vertebra consists of a core of notochordal cells surrounded by a sheath of bone. The vertebral bone lacks either fully or partially embedded cells in the matrix throughout development. Bone matrix is secreted by a layer of cells that lies over the outer surface of the vertebral bone. During the early stages of osteogenesis, these cells secrete bone matrix all around themselves. However, because of the gradual flow of the newly synthesized bone matrix through intercellular spaces, matrix-producing cells do not become trapped in their own secretion. In later stages of osteogenesis, these cells secrete matrix only toward the already-deposited bone. This polarized matrix secretion allows the osteoblasts to stay always on the bone surface and never to become trapped in the matrix as osteocytes.

Hypocalcemic effects of bovine parathyroid hormone (1-34) and Stannius corpuscle homogenates in teleost fish adapted to low-calcium water

Injections of bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH 1-34) and homogenates of corpuscles of Stannius produce hypocalcemia in male killifish and tilapia adapted to calcium-deficient seawater or fresh water, respectively. In fish from water with normal calcium concentrations no effects are noticeable. These results suggest similarity in bioactivity between PTH, the hypercalcemic hormone of terrestrial vertebrates, and the hypocalcemic factor of the corpuscules of Stannius in teleost fish.

Chondroid bone on the upper pharyngeal jaws and neurocranial base in the adult fish Astatotilapia elegans

Serial cross sections of several adult specimens of the cichlid Astatotilapia elegans were used to investigate the fate and structure of the chondroid bone on the articulation between upper pharyngeal jaws and neurocranial base. The tissue persists in the adult on the three elements on which it previously developed, i.e., infrapharyngobranchial III-IV, parasphenoid, and basioccipital bones. It consists of haphazardly arranged, large vesicular cells without a canalicular system, embedded in a matrix histologically indistinguishable from bone matrix. Except for a narrow zone at the distal side, it is mineralized throughout. As in younger stages, the fibrous covering of the chondroid bone forms the articular tissue proper on each of the three elements. Acellular bone, found at the basal margin of the chondroid bone, it is argued, does not result from endochondral replacement of the latter but rather from dermal ossification projecting from the marrow cavity. Although lacunae may be filled in this way with bone, true obliteration of cells does not occur, so that there is no metaplasia from chondroid bone to bone. The part played by the chondroid bone in the outgrowth of the joint apophyses is discussed.

Late skeletal development at the articulation between upper pharyngeal jaws and neurocranial base in the fish, Astatotilapia elegans, with the participation of a chondroid form of bone

This paper presents light-microscopical details of the late development of skeletal tissues at the joint between upper pharyngeal jaws (UPJs) and neurocranial base (parasphenoid and basioccipital bones) in the acellular-boned teleost Astatotilapia elegans. On each of the supporting elements, a bone tissue (AB) is deposited that is anomalous because of its retention of cells within the matrix. Later, this layer is gradually replaced by the anomalous large-celled chondroid kind of bone (CB). Both AB and CB probably grow by apposition from the overlying fibrous layer. Osteoblastlike cells secrete osteoid, which soon calcifies and traps the cells. As in young cellular membrane bone, cells in the AB have a wide, elongate shape and lie amidst sparse, calcified, bonelike matrix but lack a canalicular system. Later generations of enclosed cells have a more vesicular shape, with at least some cells remaining alive in the calcified matrix. Appositional growth of the chondroid bone at its articular side is matched from a certain stage onward by erosion at its basal side. On the upper pharyngeal jaws this resorption is clearly related to the development of new teeth. Although in older stages and adults the chondroid tissue resembles a secondary cartilage, the term chondroid bone (CB) was preferred because of (1) the continuing formation by osteoblastlike cells; (2) the staining affinities of its matrix with that of bone; and (3) its formation both on cartilage bone (the infrapharyngobranchials III-IV and basioccipital bone) and on membrane bone (the parasphenoid bone).

Structure and comparative morphology of camptotrichia of lungfish fins

The present work is devoted to the organization and ultrastructure of the fin rays or camptotrichia of two living Dipnoi (lungfishes) Protopterus and Neoceratodus. In both species, these rods have a dual structure: only the superficial region facing the stratified epidermis is mineralized while the deep one is made of a dense unmineralized network of collagen fibrils forming a permanent pre-osseous tissue. Only the camptotrichia of Neoceratodus is made of cellular bone. This study confirms the structural peculiarities of these camptotrichia when compared to the dermal skeleton of the Actinopterygii constituted by the bony lepidotrichia and the actinotrichia. These results are discussed and compared to fossil dipnoan fin rays.

Fine structure and histochemistry of the tail fin ray in teleosts

Ultrastructural and histochemical studies performed on the skeletal elements of the tail fins of six representative species of teleosts enabled the following observations to be made. The electron microscopic pattern of amorphous substance deposition, and the diameter of the collagen fibrils, in lepidotrichia closely resemble those which are typical of cartilage. In addition, lepidotrichia contain chondroitin sulfate AC as the only sulfated glycosaminoglycan, and this glycosaminoglycan shows high levels of interaction with collagen, both features being characteristic of cartilage. Furthermore, the histochemical data presented in this paper suggest that not all of the glycosaminoglycans present in lepidotrichia are bound to protein cores to form proteoglycans. Each actinotrichium consists of a single ultrastructural entity of remarkable width and, thus, is not composed of a bundle of discretely separated collagen fibrils but rather of hyperpolymerized collagen molecules. This aspect differs from the arrangement pattern of all the other interstitial collagens, suggesting that actinotrichia may contain a new type of collagen.

The fine structure of the developing pelvic fin dermal skeleton in the trout Salmo gairdneri

The morphogenetic and ultrastructural features of the dermal skeleton in the pelvic fin bud of a teleost, the rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri, have been examined by light and electron microscopy. The principal structural components observed are lepidotrichia and actinotrichia. Lepidotrichia consist of two parallel and symmetrical bony demirays that form jointed segments within the fin. The demirays calcify in a proximodistal direction within the extracellular collagen network of the basal lamella belonging to the epidermal-dermal interface of the fin. Needle- and plate-like particles of a solid mineral phase appear to be associated with the collagen fibrils and with a fine, granular, interfibrillar material central to the demirays. Cellular processes and membrane-bound vesicles are absent from the regions of calcification. During fin growth, the bony, acellular lepidotrichia are separated from the epidermal-dermal interface by infiltrating mesenchymal cells in proximal fin regions; in distal areas, the lepidotrichia remain within the basal lamella. The actinotrichia are extensive unmineralized rods of elastoidin that occupy the distal margin of the fin and precede the differentiation of lepidotrichia. Once the lepidotrichia form, actinotrichia lie preferentially between their demirays. In some instances, structural interactions are suggested between actinotrichia and lepidotrichia. Considerations of embryologic and structural features of fin components fail to support the hypothesis that individual segments of lepidotrichia are modified scales in all fish.

Effect of bone strain on cortical bone structure in macaques (Macaca mulatta)

It has recently been shown that the consistency of food significantly affects levels of bone strain in the mandible during mastication (Hylander, '79a). Mandibular bone histology was examined to test the effects of a diet of hard food compared to a diet of soft food in two groups of monkeys. One group of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) was fed a diet of commercially prepared hard biscuits. The second group was fed a soft diet the consistency of fudge. Both diets were nutritionally adequate for normal growth and development. As a control for other factors influencing cortical bone structure, fibular morphology was also examined. At the end of the test period, mandibular and fibular tissue samples from the two groups were prepared to determine the amount of secondary Haversian bone present. Mandibular depth at M2 and fibular anteroposterior diameter were also measured and compared between the two dietary groups. The soft-diet monkeys showed low levels of remodeling in their mandibles. There were large patches of unremodeled bone and resorption spaces were common. The hard-diet monkeys exhibited more extensive evidence of secondary Haversian remodeling in their mandibles. The hard-diet monkeys also had deeper mandibles. In contrast, the fibulae from the two groups had similar mean diameters and showed comparable levels of secondary remodeling. We infer that the higher mandibular bone remodeling levels in the hard-diet monkeys represent an adaptive response to remove and replace fatigued mandibular bone due to higher stress levels associated with the ingestion and mastication of hard foods. We also infer that greater depth of the mandible at M2 found in the hard-diet group represents an adaptive response to higher stress levels associated with the ingestion and mastication of hard foods.

Studies on the biology of fish bone. III. Ultrastructure of osteogenesis and resorption in osteocytic (cellular) and anosteocytic (acellular) bones

The comparative ultrastructure of fish bone osteogenesis and resorption induced by scale removal was described in the osteocytic (cellular-boned) Carassius auratus and the anosteocytic (acellular-boned) Tilapia macrocephala. Osteocytes, present in osteocytic bone, were lacking in anosteocytic bone. In osteocytic bone the osteoblast secreted a collagenous preosseous matrix in which it became enmeshed and then was termed a preosteocyte. When the preosseous matrix mineralized, the preosteocyte was termed an osteocyte and was completely surrounded by bone. In anosteocytic bone the osteoblasts receded from the mineralizing front and never became trapped as osteocytes. During resorption, types A and B resorptive cells, present in both bone types, invaded the matrix and demineralized the osseous zone. These cells were characterized by large amounts of granular endoplasmic reticulum and intracellular inclusions containing crystal-like material. Although functionally similar to mammalian osteoclasts, these cells lacked a characteristic ruffled border and were not multinucleated. The osteocytes of cellular bone did not appear to be involved during demineralization.

X-ray diffraction of the calcified tissues in Polypterus

Pyrolyzed scales, fin spines, and bone from the ray-finned bony fish Polypterus (Actinopterygii) showed two mineral phases on X-ray diffraction: hydroxyapatite (HA), Ca5(PO4)3OH, and whitlockite, Ca3(PO4)2. The ratio of HA/whitlockite varied with the structure (scale, spine, bone) within each individual fish. The relative proportions of HA to whitlockite in pyrolyzed samples reflected the Ca/P ratio of the sample. Whitlockite appears after pyrolysis when the Ca/P is lower than 1.67. Among the five fish investigated, for each structure a general trend was noted. The proportion of HA relative to whitlockite increased with size (age) of the fish. Thus the smallest fish, a juvenile, exhibited a low Ca/P mineral in its calcified tissues, whereas the larger fish had progressively more HA and less whitlockite.