Recently, the development of the early skeleton was mapped in order to create a blueprint of human skeletal
development. It was found that cartilage cells grow first and act as a scaffold
for bone cells to grow over. This happens across the body except for the top of
the skull, called the calvarium. They discovered new types of early bone cells
in the calvarium involved in bone development, and they investigated how genetic
mutations linked with craniosynostosis disrupt these cells, causing them to
fuse early. They also found that genetic variants associated with hip osteoarthritis
took place in early bone cell development, while those variants that were
associated with knee arthritis took place during cartilage formation. The
effects of certain medications on bone development were also mapped.
In my opinion, mapping the development
of the human skeleton before birth can be extremely useful for a wide variety
of research. By studying how different genetic variants and mutations affect
bone development, we can use this to better understand conditions like
osteoarthritis and craniosynostosis, and we can work to develop treatments for
these conditions. By having a detailed blueprint for the development of the
human skeleton, we can base research on both younger and older skeletons on it.
We can potentially develop methods to grow bone and cartilage tissue in dishes,
providing us the opportunity to develop a multitude of new therapies.
