title: Histological and histomorphometric study of growth-related changes of cranial sutures in the animal model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During the early development, numerous histological and morphometric changes occur in the cranial sutures the exact knowledge of which is of fundamental significance for understanding clinically relevant cranial anomalies. In this paper a histological and histomorphometric longitudinal study of the coronal, sagittal and lambdoid sutures in the rat is reported in relation to age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout) were raised under standard conditions. Eight animals each were sacrificed at defined time points (10, 14, 28, 42, 70, 98 days post partum) for specimen preparation. Histological preparations of the sagittal, coronal and lambdoid sutures were produced and examined morphologically and histomorphometrically (suture width, height, and area).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histologically, three phases of sutural growth with characteristic structural features were found. Histomorphometry reveals a quasi linear increase in height from the 30th to the 98th day post partum. Suture width remained relatively constant in the area of dura mater and periosteum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sutures of the test animals studied had a similar growth behaviour primarily consisting of an increase in height with almost constant width. The three-phases of development could be demonstrated histologically in all sutures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Germany. proff@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Proff
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weingärtner
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bayerlein
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reicheneder
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanghänel
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bill
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar