Integrating data on bone modeling and morphological ontogenetic changes of the maxilla in modern humans

Abstract

The aim of this work is to assess the association between the patterns of bone modeling and the changes in shape and size of the maxilla along ontogeny in modern humans. The sample analyzed includes an ontogenetic series of 30 individuals from an archeological site from Pampa Grande, northwest of Argentina. The areas of bone resorption and formation were described by histological analysis of bone surfaces and then quantified using spatial statistics. Morphological changes were analyzed by geometric morphometric methods using landmarks and semilandmarks digitized on 3D surfaces obtained from CT-scans. The regression of bone modeling maps on the centroid size shows no significant association between both variables neither in subadult nor adult individuals. On the contrary, the results of the partial least squares analysis shows a strong association between the shape changes in the maxilla with changes in the pattern of bone modeling in both groups of age, subadults and adults. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms and processes that model maxillary morphology during growth.