title: Angiogenesis and intramembranous osteogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiogenesis is likely critical for the process of intramembranous osteogenesis; however, the developmental relationship between blood vessels and bone mineralization is not well studied within intramembranous bones. Given its importance, changes in angiogenesis regulation are likely to contribute to evolutionarily and medically relevant craniofacial variation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We summarize what is known about the association between angiogenesis and intramembranous osteogenesis, supplementing with information from the better-studied processes of endochondral ossification and distraction osteogenesis. Based on this review, we introduce a model of angiogenesis during early intramembranous osteogenesis as well as a series of null hypotheses to be tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This model can serve as a basis of future research on the spatio-temporal association and regulatory interactions of mesenchymal, vascular, and bone cells, which will be required to illuminate the potential effects of angiogenesis dysregulation on craniofacial skeletal phenotypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. cjp216@psu.edu
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Percival
authors.forename: Joan T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Richtsmeier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: craniofacial development; intramembranous ossification; vascular invasion