Human semicircular canal form: Ontogenetic changes and variation of shape and size.



Cárdenas-Serna, Marcela and Jeffery, Nathan
(2021) Human semicircular canal form: Ontogenetic changes and variation of shape and size. Journal of anatomy, 240 (3). pp. 541-555.

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Abstract

The semicircular canals (SCCs) transduce angular acceleration of the head into neuronal signals, and their morphology has been used to infer function. Once formed, the bony labyrinth, that surrounds the canals, is tightly regulated and has a very low bone turnover. However, relaxed postnatal inhibition of bone remodelling later in ontogeny may allow for some organised adjustments of shape and size or for greater stochastic variation. In the present study, we test the hypotheses that after birth, the shape and size of the bony canal changes or becomes more variable, or both. We study microCT scans of human perinatal and adult temporal bones using a combination of geometric morphometric analysis and cross-sectional measures. Results revealed marginal differences of size (<5%), of cross-sectional shape and of measurement variability. Geometry of the three canals together and their cross-sectional areas were, however, indistinguishable between perinates and adults. These mixed findings are indicative of diminutive levels of relaxed inhibition superimposed over a constrained template of SCC morphology.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: bony labyrinth, geometric morphometrics, inner ear, microCT, semicircular canals
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Life Courses and Medical Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 04 Nov 2021 11:27
Last Modified: 08 Mar 2023 12:00
DOI: 10.1111/joa.13576
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3142745