File:Mouse limb cartilage and bone E14.5.jpg

Mouse Forelimb Development Cartilage and Bone (E14.5)

(Stain - Alcian blue) (Stain - Alizarin red)

Histology stain for cartilage and bone shown primary ossification centres occurring at the diaphysis (shaft) midpoint on long bones. Anatomically this collar of bone is also the site of initial vascularisation of these long bones.

• Blue - Cartilage
• Red - Bone

The developing limb can be described along the proximodistal axis as having three main regions, with abnormalities along this axis characterised by the changes to these specific skeletal components.

Stylopod

The proximal region the limb, the skeletal component of the upper limb (forelimb) is the humerus, and for the lower limb (hindlimb) is the femur.

Zeugopod

The mid-section of the limb , the skeletal components of the upper limb (forelimb) are the radius and ulna, and for the lower limb (hindlimb) are the tibia and fibula.

Autopod

The distal region the limb, the musculoskeletal component of the upper limb (forelimb) is the hands, and for the lower limb (hindlimb) is the foot.

Links: Image labeled | Image unlabeled | Bone Development | Limb Development | Bone Timeline | Mouse Development

Reference

<pubmed>20386744</pubmed>| PMC2851570 | PLoS Genet.

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Excerpt from Figure 1. (resized and labeled)