Evo-Devo of the Human Vertebral Column: On Homeotic Transformations, Pathologies and Prenatal Selection

• DOI: 10.1007/s11692-012-9196-1
• Publication Date: 2012-08-17T12:46:39Z
• Authors: Clara M. A. ten B...; Alexander J. Bakker; Irma Varela-Lasheras; Marianna Bugiani; Stefan Van Dongen; Frietson Galis
• Keywords: Vertebral column; Abnormality

Homeotic transformations of vertebrae are particularly common in humans and tend to come associated with malformations a wide variety organ systems. In dataset 1,389 deceased human foetuses infants majority had cervical ribs approximately half these individuals also missing twelfth or lumbar ribs. ~10 % all cases there was an additional shift the lumbo-sacral boundary and, hence, homeotic resulted shifts at least three vertebral boundaries. We found strong coupling between abnormality patterns amount strength malformations, i.e., longer disturbance patterning has lasted, more have developed systems affected. The germ layer origin not significantly frequency patterns. contrast, we find significant associations different developmental mechanisms that involved causation is, segmentation, neural crest development, left-right patterning, etc. Our results, thus, suggest locally perceived signals important for outcome than cells. low robustness A-P apparent from large number is probably caused by interactivity processes redundancy morphogens during early organogenesis. Additionally, irreversibility specification identity adds vulnerability process limiting possibility recovery disturbances. contrasts high regions. Not only order invariable, variation per region small. This agreement evolutionary stability regions tetrapods. Finally, propose new hypothesis regarding constancy presacral mammals.