Musculoskeletal System - Joint Development

Embryology - 16 Apr 2024        Expand to Translate
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Introduction

Developing distal phalangeal joint

In the adult, the region where two skeletal bones meet and articulate is called a "joint", that are classified based upon their: anatomical structure, mobility and shape.

In the embryo, the majority of the vertebrate skeleton is initially formed as a cartilage template, that is later replaced by bone except at the interface between two adjacent bones, leaving in the adult a layer of cartilage in this region. The musculoskeletal system consists of skeletal muscle, bone, and cartilage and is mainly mesoderm in origin with some neural crest contribution.

Historic Embryology:

• Whillis J. The development of synovial joints. (1940) J Anat. 74(Pt 2): 277-283. PMID: 17104813

• Symons NB. The development of the human mandibular joint. (1952) J Anat. 86(3):326-32. PMID 12980883

Some Recent Findings

Development of the human shoulder joint during the embryonic and early fetal stages "In our study, serial sections of 32 human embryos (Carnegie stages 16-23) and 26 fetuses (9-13 weeks) were analyzed. The chondrogenic anlagen of the humerus and the medial border of the scapula can be observed from as early as Carnegie stage 17, whereas that of the rest of the scapula appears at stage 18. The osteogenic process begins in week 10 for the humeral head and week 11 for the scapula. At stage 19 the interzone becomes apparent, which will form the glenohumeral joint. In the next stage the glenohumeral joint will begin delaminating and exhibiting a looser central band. Denser lateral bands will join the humeral head (caput humeri) and the margins of the articular surface of the scapula, thus forming the glenoid labrum, which can be fully appreciated by stage 22. In 24-mm embryos (stage 21) we can observe, for the first time, the long head of the biceps tendon (which is already inserted in the glenoid labrum by week 9), and the intertubercular sulcus, whose depth is apparent since week 12. Regarding ligamentous structures, the coracohumeral ligament is observed at the end of Carnegie stage 23, whereas the primitive glenohumeral ligament already appeared in week 10." Musculoskeletal - Limb Development Mechanobiological simulations of prenatal joint morphogenesis "Joint morphogenesis is the process in which prenatal joints acquire their reciprocal and interlocking shapes. Despite the clinical importance of the process, it remains unclear how joints acquire their shapes. In this study, we simulate 3D mechanobiological joint morphogenesis for which the effects of a range of movements (or lack of movement) and different initial joint shapes are explored. We propose that static hydrostatic compression inhibits cartilage growth while dynamic hydrostatic compression promotes cartilage growth." The development of synovial joints. "The position of future joints is first delimited by areas of higher cell density called interzones initially through an as yet unidentified inductive signal, subsequently specification of these regions is controlled hierarchically by wnt14 and gdf5, respectively. Joint-forming cell fate although specified is not fixed, and joints will fuse if growth factor signaling is perturbed." Transcription factor ERG and joint and articular cartilage formation "ets transcription factor ERG is part of molecular mechanisms leading chondrocytes into a permanent developmental path and become joint forming cells, and may do so by acting downstream of joint master regulator protein GDF-5"

More recent papers

This table allows an automated computer search of the external PubMed database using the listed "Search term" text link. This search now requires a manual link as the original PubMed extension has been disabled. The displayed list of references do not reflect any editorial selection of material based on content or relevance. References also appear on this list based upon the date of the actual page viewing. References listed on the rest of the content page and the associated discussion page (listed under the publication year sub-headings) do include some editorial selection based upon both relevance and availability. More? References | Discussion Page | Journal Searches | 2019 References | 2020 References Search term: Joint Development <pubmed limit=5>Joint Development</pubmed>

Joint Types

Classification

• Fibrous (synarthrodial) - immoveable joints found in cranial vault and teeth
• Cartilagenous (synchondroses and sympheses) - partially moveable joints
• Synovial (diarthrosis) - freely moveable joints are the most common found in the skeleton

Movement

Mouse neck joint articular cartilage. Cartilage Histology

• Hinge - (elbow and knee) Flexion/Extension
• Pivot - (neck, atlas and axis bones) Rotation of one bone around another
• Ball and Socket - (shoulder and hip)
• Saddle - (thumb)
• Condyloid - (wrist joints)
• Gliding - (intercarpal joints) Gliding movements

Synovial Joint Development

Skeletal joint cavity development (cavitation) occurs along planes of the future articular surfaces of synovial joints. A number of different markers have been shown to be present in the interzone at the time of cavitation (hyaluronan and hyaluronan synthase, but not chondroitin sulphates). Fibroblast-like cells (and/or adjacent chondrocytes) with uridine-diphospho glucose dehydrogenase (UDPGD) activity contribute to glycosaminoglycan levels (increases in hyaluronan). These cells are located on the intimal surface of the synovial lining and have been suggested as the possible cavitation mechanism, switching from cellular cohesion to dissociation.

Knee

In human embryo at week 7 the femur and tibia cartilage template is present (stage 18), by week 8 the posterior cruciate ligament appears (stage 21), and by stage 23 the knee cavity and the anterior cruciate ligament are both also present.

Knee Morphogenesis a - The first sign of a presumptive joint is a condensation of Col2+ limb bud progenitors at the presumptive joint site. b - Joint specification is marked by induction of Gdf5 in the interzone and downregulation of Col2a1. c - A joint space is formed by cavitation after progenitors for a variety of secondary joint structures are specified from the Gdf5+ progenitor pool. d - Maturation of the synovial joint of the knee occurs during development and early postnatal life. Adult Knee e - Schematic representation of a healthy human knee. f - Joint health in adult life is affected by genetics and environmental factors such as nutrition and exercise. Loss of joint homeostasis can trigger degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, which is characterized by degradation of articular and meniscal cartilage, formation of bone spurs and pain. Figure from recent BMP review.

Joint Abnormalities

FGFR-Related Craniosynostosis Syndromes

Pfeiffer syndrome, Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, Beare-Stevenson syndrome, FGFR2-related isolated coronal synostosis, Jackson-Weiss syndrome, Crouzon syndrome with acanthosis nigricans (AN), and Muenke syndrome

Links: GeneReviews - FGFR-Related Craniosynostosis Syndromes)

Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia

Links: GeneReviews - Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia)

Arthrogryposis

Arthrogryposis (arthrogryposis multiplex congenital, AMC) is a congenital joint contracture occurring in two or more body regions.

Large range of causes including:

• single-gene disorders autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant or X-linked traits.
• part of chromosomal disorders (Trisomy 18, many microdeletions and micro duplications)
• connective tissue disorders

Clutton's joints

Historic clinical term for a symmetrical joint swelling occurring in patients of both sexes between 5 to 20 years of age with congenital syphilis. Joint swelling is usually in the knees, but can also affect the ankles, elbows, wrists and fingers. Named after Henry Hugh Clutton who first described the condition in 1886.

Links: Abnormal Development - Syphilis)

References

Online Textbooks

Developmental Biology Gilbert, Scott F. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates, Inc. ; c2000 Forming the joints

Articles

<pubmed>15492776</pubmed> <pubmed>10645964</pubmed> <pubmed>7544653</pubmed> <pubmed>7525525</pubmed>

Search PubMed

Search July 2010 "Joint Development" All (19900) Review (3137) Free Full Text (3325)

Search Pubmed: Joint Development

Additional Images

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  Adult axial skeleton

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  Adult appendicular skeleton

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  Bone structure

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  Developing vertebra

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  Endochondral bone

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  Fetal head lateral (12 weeks)

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  Fetal head medial (12 weeks)

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  Fetal head section (12 weeks)

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  Fetal temporomandibular joint 10 weeks

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  Fetal temporomandibular joint 12 weeks

External Links

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, April 16) Embryology Musculoskeletal System - Joint Development. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Musculoskeletal_System_-_Joint_Development

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© Dr Mark Hill 2024, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G