Microscopic investigations of areolar brow structure in nonhuman primates and of vermiculate brow structure in hominids.
The microscopic structure of bone of the brow region was studied in adult human crania showing the vermiculate surface pattern, and in immature nonhuman primates with an areolar surface. Serial sections from different parts of each brow sampled regional comparability. The human brow regions are basically similar, and differ from those of the other primates. The elevations and depressions of vermiculate surfaces are lamellar bone, usually covered by layers featuring Sharpey's fibers. In contrast, the immature nonhuman primates do not have continuous brow surface layers. Passageways to the interior are closely spaced and separated by irregular projections. These findings indicate that fossil and modern human vermiculate surfaces are not structurally equivalent to areolar brow surfaces observed in some immature nonhuman primates. Reports describing fossil hominid brow regions as composed of 'fine cancellous bone' are probably erroneous and give misleading interpretations of their development and function.
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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015186:Hominidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008251:Macaca / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010215:Papio / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011323:Primates / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012886:Skull / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013045:Species Specificity