The multiscale hierarchical structure of Heloderma suspectum osteoderms and their mechanical properties

Iacoviello, Francesco; Kirby, Alexander; Javanmardi, Yousef; Moeendarbary, Emad; Shabanli, Murad; Tsolaki, Elena; Sharp, Alana C.; Hayes, Matthew; Keevend, Kerda; Li, Jian‐Hao; Brett, Dan J. L.; Shearing, Paul R.; Olivo, Alessandro; Herrmann, Inge K.; Evans, Susan E.; Moazen, Mehran; Bertazzo, Sérgio

doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2020.02.029

Cited by 19 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Further, there are several open‐source repositories of CT data archiving OD‐bearing lizards, including Digimorph (http://digimorph.org) and Morpho Source (http://morphosource.org). The potential for integrating the spatial morphological information with that provided by classical histology and functional modelling is currently being explored in several groups (Iacoviello et al ., 2020)…”

Section: Osteoderm Macro‐ and Microstructurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Varanus ; Erickson et al ., 2003 ). ODs are common among scincids (Camp, 1923 ; Camaiti et al ., 2019 ), gerrhosaurids (Camp, 1923 ; Nance, 2007 ), cordylids (Broeckhoven et al ., 2015 ; Stanley, 2016 ; Broeckhoven, du Plessis & Hui, 2017b ; Broeckhoven, De Kock & Le Fras Nortier Mouton, 2017 a ; Broeckhoven et al ., 2018 a ), xenosaurids (Gao & Norell, 1998 ; Bhullar, 2011 ), helodermatids (Moss, 1969 ; Maisano et al ., 2019 ; Kirby et al ., 2020 ; Iacoviello et al ., 2020 ), anguids (Hoffstetter, 1962 ; Strahm & Schwartz, 1977 ; Zylberberg & Castanet, 1985 ; Levrat‐Calviac et al ., 1986 ; Bochaton et al ., 2015 ), anniellids (Bhullar & Bell, 2008 ), shinisaurids (Bever et al ., 2005 ; Conrad et al ., 2014 ), and lanthanotids (McDowell & Bogert, 1954 ; Maisano et al ., 2002 , 2019 ). ODs are also found in some (but not all) species of varanids (Erickson et al ., 2003 ; Maisano et al ., 2019 ; Kirby et al ., 2020 ) and lacertids (Estes et al ., 1988 ; Borsuk‐Białynicka et al ., 1999 ; Constantini & Dell'Omo, 2010 ).…”

Section: Evolutionary History and Distribution In Squamatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…CT scanning is non‐invasive, able to generate high‐resolution two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional data rapidly, and can be used to map the distribution of ODs across body regions or the entire lizard (e.g. Maisano et al ., 2002 ; Bever et al ., 2005 ; Paluh et al ., 2017 ; Maisano et al ., 2019 ; Laver et al ., 2020 ; Iacoviello et al ., 2020 ), as reviewed in Broeckhoven & du Plessis ( 2018 ). Further, there are several open‐source repositories of CT data archiving OD‐bearing lizards, including Digimorph ( digimorph.org ) and Morpho Source ( morphosource.org ).…”

Section: Osteoderm Macro‐ and Microstructurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…fossil varanoid ‘necrosaurs’; Estes, 1983 ), spherical or globose studs [e.g. Heloderma (Mead et al ., 2012 ; Iacoviello et al ., 2020 ; Kirby et al ., 2020 ); Figs 3A and 4 ), interlocking tesserae [cranial ODs in Gekko gecko , Fig. 2E (Vickaryous et al ., 2015 ; Laver et al ., 2020 )], cycloid [ Geckolepis (Schmidt, 1912 a ; Paluh et al ., 2017 )] or palmate shapes ( Anniella spp.…”

Section: Osteoderm Macro‐ and Microstructurementioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of the osteoderms of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata)

et al. 2021

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Osteoderms are mineralised structures consisting mainly of calcium phosphate and collagen. They form directly within the skin, with or without physical contact with the skeleton. Osteoderms, in some form, may be primitive for tetrapods as a whole, and are found in representatives of most major living lineages including turtles, crocodilians, lizards, armadillos, and some frogs, as well as extinct taxa ranging from early tetrapods to dinosaurs. However, their distribution in time and space raises questions about their evolution and homology in individual groups. Among lizards and their relatives, osteoderms may be completely absent; present only on the head or dorsum; or present all over the body in one of several arrangements, including non‐overlapping mineralised clusters, a continuous covering of overlapping plates, or as spicular mineralisations that thicken with age. This diversity makes lizards an excellent focal group in which to study osteoderm structure, function, development and evolution. In the past, the focus of researchers was primarily on the histological structure and/or the gross anatomy of individual osteoderms in a limited sample of taxa. Those studies demonstrated that lizard osteoderms are sometimes two‐layered structures, with a vitreous, avascular layer just below the epidermis and a deeper internal layer with abundant collagen within the deep dermis. However, there is considerable variation on this model, in terms of the arrangement of collagen fibres, presence of extra tissues, and/or a cancellous bone core bordered by cortices. Moreover, there is a lack of consensus on the contribution, if any, of osteoblasts in osteoderm development, despite research describing patterns of resorption and replacement that would suggest both osteoclast and osteoblast involvement. Key to this is information on development, but our understanding of the genetic and skeletogenic processes involved in osteoderm development and patterning remains minimal. The most common proposition for the presence of osteoderms is that they provide a protective armour. However, the large morphological and distributional diversity in lizard osteoderms raises the possibility that they may have other roles such as biomechanical reinforcement in response to ecological or functional constraints. If lizard osteoderms are primarily for defence, whether against predators or conspecifics, then this ‘bony armour’ might be predicted to have different structural and/or mechanical properties compared to other hard tissues (generally intended for support and locomotion). The cellular and biomineralisation mechanisms by which osteoderms are formed could also be different from those of other hard tissues, as reflected in their material composition and nanostructure. Material properties, especially the combination of malleability and resistance to impact, are of interest to the biomimetics and bioinspired material communities in the development of protective clothing and body armour. Currently, the literature on osteoderms is patchy a...

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Section: Osteoderm Macro‐ and Microstructurementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evolutionary History and Distribution In Squamatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Osteoderm Macro‐ and Microstructurementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Osteoderm Macro‐ and Microstructurementioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of the osteoderms of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata)

et al. 2021

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“…A study completed by Simon et al (2018) utilised FIB-TEM in examining the nanostructure of an osteocalcin nanocomplex from human and rat bones, successfully imaging its collagen and apatite components at nanoscale [54]. Another study performed by Lacoviello et al (2020) demonstrates the use of FIB-TEM in determining the nanostructures of collagen fibres and crystallinity of Heloderma suspectum osteoderms [55].…”

Section: Fib-temmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current Update of Collagen Nanomaterials—Fabrication, Characterisation and Its Applications: A Review

Fauzi

2021

Pharmaceutics

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Tissue engineering technology is a promising alternative approach for improvement in health management. Biomaterials play a major role, acting as a provisional bioscaffold for tissue repair and regeneration. Collagen a widely studied natural component largely present in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the human body. It provides mechanical stability with suitable elasticity and strength to various tissues, including skin, bone, tendon, cornea and others. Even though exogenous collagen is commonly used in bioscaffolds, largely in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, nano collagen is a relatively new material involved in nanotechnology with a plethora of unexplored potential. Nano collagen is a form of collagen reduced to a nanoparticulate size, which has its advantages over the common three-dimensional (3D) collagen design, primarily due to its nano-size contributing to a higher surface area-to-volume ratio, aiding in withstanding large loads with minimal tension. It can be produced through different approaches including the electrospinning technique to produce nano collagen fibres resembling natural ECM. Nano collagen can be applied in various medical fields involving bioscaffold insertion or fillers for wound healing improvement; skin, bone, vascular grafting, nerve tissue and articular cartilage regeneration as well as aiding in drug delivery and incorporation for cosmetic purposes.

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The role of cranial osteoderms on the mechanics of the skull in scincid lizards

Marghoub

Kéver

Williams

et al. 2023

The Anatomical Record

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Osteoderms (ODs) are calcified organs formed directly within the skin of most major extant tetrapod lineages. Lizards possibly show the greatest diversity in ODs morphology and distribution. ODs are commonly hypothesized to function as a defensive armor. Here we tested the hypothesis that cranial osteoderms also contribute to the mechanics of the skull during biting. A series of in vivo experiments were carried out on three specimens of Tiliqua gigas. Animals were induced to bite a force plate while a single cranial OD was strain gauged. A finite element (FE) model of a related species, Tiliqua scincoides, was developed and used to estimate the level of strain across the same OD as instrumented in the in vivo experiments. FE results were compared to the in vivo data and the FE model was modified to test two hypothetical scenarios in which all ODs were (i) removed from, and (ii) fused to, the skull. In vivo data demonstrated that the ODs were carrying load during biting. The hypothetical FE models showed that when cranial ODs were fused to the skull, the overall strain across the skull arising from biting was reduced. Removing the ODs showed an opposite effect. In summary, our findings suggest that cranial ODs contribute to the mechanics of the skull, even when they are loosely attached.

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The multiscale hierarchical structure of Heloderma suspectum osteoderms and their mechanical properties

Cited by 19 publications

References 39 publications

A review of the osteoderms of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata)

A review of the osteoderms of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata)

Current Update of Collagen Nanomaterials—Fabrication, Characterisation and Its Applications: A Review

The role of cranial osteoderms on the mechanics of the skull in scincid lizards

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