Augmentation of BMP Signaling in Cranial Neural Crest Cells Leads to Premature Cranial Sutures Fusion through Endochondral Ossification in Mice

Craniosynostosis is a congenital anomaly characterized by the premature fusion of cranial sutures. Sutures are a critical connective tissue that regulates bone growth; their aberrant fusion results in abnormal shapes of the head and face. The molecular and cellular mechanisms have been investigated for a long time, but knowledge gaps remain between genetic mutations and mechanisms of pathogenesis for craniosynostosis. We previously demonstrated that the augmentation of bone morphogenetic protein...