Sutural morphogenesis in the mouse calvaria: the role of apoptosis.

Sutural morphogenesis was studied in calvariae of fetal and newborn 16- to 26-day postconception C57B1/6J mice. The squamoid pattern characteristic of most calvarial sutures appeared to be established during the phase of approach of the adjacent bone territories as they assumed different ecto/ifendocranial planes within the desmocranium. When this stratification failed, apoptosis, a form of cell death, was seen to occur upon physical contact of the leading osteogenic cells of each heterotopic bone territory. Apoptosis appeared as part of a secondary morphogenetic mechanism preventing physical contact and resultant fusion of adjacent mineralized zones, as well as enhancing appearance of the usual pattern of overlap of calvarial sutures.