GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

OF  CRANIUM

•                                  By 
•                                                              Dr Aashik bhasi m
•                                                             1st  year MDS 
•                                                                                     
 Contents continued
• Normal features of growth and development
• Proportionality 
• Differential growth
• Cephalocaudal gradient of growth
• Predictability, Variability
• Timing , Rate , Direction 
• PRENATAL GROWTH OF
• Neurocranium 
• Cranial base
• The period extends from 4th to 8th week IUL.
•  In the craniofacial region, the cranial vault and base are delineated and
the basic maxillary and mandibular bony forms are established, tongue
develops, palatal fusion occurs.
•  The fusion of maxillary process with medial nasal process and the two
mandibular processes narrows the stomodeum.
 • The features of primary cartilages are:
•  • They are derivatives of primordial cartilage.
•  • In primary cartilage, chondroblasts divide and
synthesize intercellular matrix
• • The dividing chondroblasts are surrounded by
cartilaginous matrix. 
PRIMARY • • Cells arranged in columnar fashion 
CARTILAGE • • Since surrounded by cartilaginous matrix, primary
cartilage is not influenced by local environmental
factors, e.g. Epiphyseal cartilages, synchondroses 
• • Growth is interstitial. Hence 3 dimensional growth 
• • Considered to be a genetic pacemaker for growth.
 • • Secondary cartilage forms on a
membranous bone
• • No intercellular matrix
• • Not surrounded by cartilaginous matrix
•  • Cells are arranged in haphazard manner
SECONDARY •  • Affected by external influences which will
CARTILAGE stimulate growth of cartilage, e.g. condylar
cartilage
•  • Only peripheral growth takes place
• • Contributes only to regional adaptive
growth
 GROWTH CENTRE VS SITE

• Profitt defines growth site as merely a location at which growth occurs

whereas center is a location at which independent or genetically controlled
growth occurs. 
• All growth centers are also sites, whereas all growth sites are not centers.
•  Most of the theories of growth are based on where the growth centre is
expressed.
Enlow and Moyers use a common term growth fields which
includes both growth sites and centers.
 All surfaces of bone are covered by an irregular pattern of
growth fields comprising of various soft tissue osteogenic
membranes or cartilages.
 Bone does not grow by itself, instead it is grown by the
environment.
 Growth “sites” are growth fields having special roles in the
growth of particular parts of bone.
Examples of growth sites include mandibular condyle,
maxillary tuberosity, synchondroses, sutures, alveolar
process, etc.
They do not cause growth of the whole bone.
Growth center implies special areas which control the
overall growth of bone.
These growth centers have “force” or “energ​y" within
them for bone growth
• Some growth sites have been called "growth centers", a term which is
applied to describe very active growth fields significant to the growth
processes such as the cranial and facial sutures, the mandibular condyles,
the nasal septal cartilage and synchondroses of the cranial base.
 NEUROCRANIUM OR CALVARIUM

• Cranial vault and cranial base start developing in the early stage of
embryo but ossification of bones start in the postsomite period and
extend well into period of foetus.
• Ossification of most of bones complete only post natally
• In the somite period , around the developing neural tube (future brain),
mesenchymal condensation appear to form a 2 layered capsule, the outer
called ectomenix and the inner capsule forms the endomenix.
Endomenix forms the pia and arachnoid membrane around the brain while ectomenix
forms the duramater that surrounds the brain and calvarial bones and the bones of
cranial base.
All the calvarial bones ossify intramembraneously while the cranial base ossifies by
endochondrial ossification.

The dura is strongly attached to the bones of the vault by means of fibres in the areas of
sutures
• The rapidly growing brain serves as a functional matrix for the
expansion of the ectomenix
• Ossification centres for cranial bones develop in the outer layer of
ectomenix.
• Almost all bones start ossification around 8th week of iu life
• Frontal bone develops as two separate bones with ossification centre
appearing in the superciliary arch region, one on either side at 8th week
of iu life
 • Secondary centre
appear for the frontal
bone , all of which
fuse by 6-7 months
of iu life

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.

 • Parietal bone
develops ossification
one on either side
near eminence
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.
 • Squamous temporal
bone ossifies
intramembraneously
with one centre at the
zygomatic
process,tympanic ring
also ossifies
intramembraneously
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA. and rest of temporal
ossifies
endochondrially.
 • Similarly squamous
portion of occipetal
bone undergoes
intramembranous
ossification with one
centre appearing in
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.
the 8th week of iu
life.
• At birth ,ossification is not complete , all cranial bones are
separated by fibrous tissue.
• The sutures are not mature and the corners around the parietal
bone and its junction with other bones is not ossified but
covered with fibrous tissue , such areas are called fontanelles.
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.
 • Development of chondrocranium or
cranial base is the most complex of all the
craniofacial structures.
• Cranial base ossifies by endochondrial
ossification
• Cranial base consists of occipetal bone at
CRANIAL posterior end , undersurface of body and
greater wing of sphenoid, undersurface of
BASE petrous temporal.
• Development of cranial base commences
at 4th week of iul with mesenchymal
condensation between foregut and
developing brain.
• The mesenchymal condensation of the
outer layer of ectomeninx chondrifies at
40th day of iul
• Cephalic flexure  begins about  5th week of
IUL  due to rapid growth of neural tube and
division of  procencephalon into
telencephalon and diencephalons.
• Flexure of brain bends the notochord as well.
• Cartilages form initially on either side of the
notochord. These are called parachordal
cartilages , extending from hypophysis to
caudal end of hind brain.
• Immediately posterior to the parachordal
cartilages on either side of
rhombencephalon , there is formation of
scerotomes from occipetal somites.
• The scerotomes  bound the foramen
magnum, contributing to the occipetal
condyles. 
• Pontine flexure paves (6th week iu) paves
way for the division of rhombencephalon
into metencephalon and myelencephalon ,in
the process of flattening the
notochord;parachordal cartilages merge with
occipetal scerotomes
• Hypophyseal pouch (Rathkes pouch) arises
as an ectodermal invagination from the
stomodeum or roof of primitive oral cavity;
it forms the anterior lobe of pituitary gland. 
• It is at the cranial end of the notochord.
• Immediately behind the hypophyseal pouch
are postspenoid (polar) cartilages
• Polar cartilages give rise to posterior part of
body of sphenoid and sella tursica.
• Two presphenoid (trabecular) cartilages
develop from prechordal condensations,
they fuse to form anterior part of body of
sphenoid bone.
• Anteriorly ,the presphenoid cartilages
contribute to the formation of mesethmoid
cartilages, which in turn forms the
perpendicular plate of ethmoid and crista
galla.
• Lateral to hypophyseal pouch are the
orbitosphenoid and alisphenoid cartilages,
they form the lesser and greater wings of
sphenoid respectively.
• Nasal capsule chondrifies around 2nd month
of iu life.Nasal capsule expands into a box
shaped structure that is cartilagenous.
• The nasal septum is cartilagenous but for the
posteroinferior part that forms a
membranous vomer.
• The cartilage of nasal septum remains patent
and contributes to the anterior and inferior
growth of midface.
• In the lateral wall of the nasal capsule,there
is development of the ethmoidal and inferior
nasal conchae by cartilagenous ossification.
• The otic capsule undergoes chondrification
to form the mastoid and petrous portion of
temporal bone.
• Basiocciput starts ossification at
10th week of iul
• All the cartilages constitute the
basal plate , which is an irregular
mass of cartilage; the nerves
exiting and arteries entering the
cranial base are established before
ossification commences and hence
the basal plate is highly perforated.
• Ossification centers are numerous
for cranial base bones
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