Locate, condense, differentiate, grow and confront: developmental mechanisms controlling intramembranous bone and suture formation and function.

The key mechanisms controlling where and when craniofacial bones and hence sutures form are discussed in this review. These include the formation and growth of skeletogenic condensations, tissue to tissue interactions between the epithelium, skeletogenic mesenchyme and the underlying dural and neural tissues. Also discussed are the key processes determining intramembranous bone growth, namely osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis.