An investigation of tetrapod skull architecture using advanced computer modelling techniques

使用先进的计算机建模技术对四足动物头骨结构进行研究

• 批准号: BB/E007465/1
• 负责人: Susan Evans
• 金额: $ 32.47万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2007 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FE007465%2F1
• 关键词: investigation; tetrapod; skull; architecture; using

The skulls of animals must balance the conflicting demands of strength and stability with flexibility, so that they can open their mouths as wide as possible and apply a maximum bite force without damaging the enclosed brain and sense organs. Ancestors of reptiles, birds and mammals had a solid skull except for eye and ear openings, but they soon began to develop openings (fenestrae) in the side of the skull behind the eyes; now different skulls have different patterns of fenestrae, but it is still not understood why. Furthermore the overall geometries of skulls are different. There is variation in skull depth, in the size of the brain and/or sense organs, in the complexity of the jaw muscles, and in the length of the neck. All of these features, individually or in combination, have a major effect on skull function (biomechanics) and may underlie the radical differences in skull architecture of living animals. The aim of this research is to understand the relationship between biomechanical forces and skull shape in living animals, and in particular to determine the biomechanical significance of skull fenestrations. To do this work, we need to combine the expertise of mechanical engineers, digital imagers, bone biologists, and morphologists, and use advanced computer modelling techniques to perform sophisticated biomechanical analyses. In this project, information from museum specimens of living animal groups (obtained by advanced computer imaging - High Resolution Computed X-ray Tomography) will be combined to develop accurate models of a range of skulls. These can be modified to change basic parameters (e.g. eye size, brain size, patterns of fenestration), and then loaded in ways that simulate changing complexities of the jaw and neck muscles, changes in size of the brain and sense organs, and/or increasing bite force. As a result, we can, for the first time, test a series of theories to explain skull shape. Not only will the study advance our knowledge of the development of a key group of organisms but it will also deepen our understanding of the complex relationship between biomechanical forces, soft tissue structures and skeletal shape. Understanding this complex relationship is important, not only to general biology but also to medicine (e.g. bone repair and remodelling, over-use injuries, osteoporosis).

动物的头骨必须平衡力量和稳定性与灵活性之间的冲突，这样它们才能尽可能地张开嘴，施加最大的咬合力，而不会损坏封闭的大脑和感觉器官。爬行动物、鸟类和哺乳动物的祖先除了眼睛和耳朵的开口外，都有一个坚固的头骨，但他们很快就开始在眼睛后面的头骨一侧发展开口（fenestrae）;现在不同的头骨有不同的fenestrae模式，但仍然不知道为什么。此外，头骨的整体几何形状也不同。头骨的深度、大脑和/或感觉器官的大小、下颌肌肉的复杂程度以及颈部的长度都有差异。所有这些特征，单独或组合，对颅骨功能（生物力学）有重大影响，并可能构成活体动物颅骨结构的根本差异。本研究的目的是了解生物力学力和头骨形状之间的关系，在活体动物，特别是确定颅骨开窗术的生物力学意义。为了完成这项工作，我们需要联合收割机结合机械工程师、数字成像师、骨生物学家和形态学家的专业知识，并使用先进的计算机建模技术进行复杂的生物力学分析。在这个项目中，来自博物馆活体动物标本的信息（通过先进的计算机成像-高分辨率计算机X射线断层扫描获得）将被结合起来，以开发一系列头骨的精确模型。这些可以被修改以改变基本参数（例如眼睛大小、大脑大小、开窗模式），然后以模拟下巴和颈部肌肉的复杂性变化、大脑和感觉器官的大小变化和/或增加咬合力的方式加载。因此，我们可以，第一次，测试一系列理论来解释头骨形状。这项研究不仅将推进我们对一组关键生物体发育的认识，还将加深我们对生物力学力、软组织结构和骨骼形状之间复杂关系的理解。理解这种复杂的关系不仅对普通生物学而且对医学（例如骨修复和重塑，过度使用损伤，骨质疏松症）都很重要。

项目成果

Cranial sutures work collectively to distribute strain throughout the reptile skull.

• DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2013.0442
• 发表时间: 2013-09-06
• 期刊: Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
• 作者: Curtis N;Jones ME;Evans SE;O'Higgins P;Fagan MJ
• 通讯作者: Fagan MJ

The head and neck anatomy of sea turtles (Cryptodira: Chelonioidea) and skull shape in Testudines.

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047852
• 发表时间: 2012
• 期刊: PloS one
• 影响因子: 3.7
• 作者: Jones ME;Werneburg I;Curtis N;Penrose R;O'Higgins P;Fagan MJ;Evans SE
• 通讯作者: Evans SE

Functional relationship between skull form and feeding mechanics in Sphenodon, and implications for diapsid skull development.

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029804
• 发表时间: 2011
• 期刊: PloS one
• 影响因子: 3.7
• 作者: Curtis N;Jones ME;Shi J;O'Higgins P;Evans SE;Fagan MJ
• 通讯作者: Fagan MJ

Cranial joint morphology in Sphenodon (Lepidosauria: Diapsida: Rhynchocephalia), sutures and kinesis.

蝶龙（鳞龙目：双孔目：喙头目）的颅骨关节形态、缝合线和运动。

• 期刊: Palaeontologica Electronica
• 作者: Marc Jones (Author)

The head and neck muscles associated with feeding in Sphenodon (Reptilia: Lepidosauria: Rhynchocephalia).

与蜥蜴进食相关的头部和颈部肌肉（爬行类：鳞龙类：喙头类）。

• 期刊: Palaeontologica Electronica
• 作者: Marc Jones (Author)