Figure 1: Identification of bone deposition/resorption and facial growth maps.
From: Ontogeny of the maxilla in Neanderthals and their ancestors
(a,b) Scanning electron microscope images showing details of bone microanatomy. Scale bars, 100 μm. (a) Bone-forming surfaces are relatively smooth, presenting collagen deposits by osteoblast cells. Image taken on the maxillary bone of the Devil’s Tower Neanderthal. (b) Resorption is identified as irregular surfaces carved by osteoclasts on the bone surface as they dissolve and remove bone matrix. Image taken from the maxillary bone of the SH hominin Cranium 16. (c) Facial morphogenetic map of the Neanderthals based on the Devil’s Tower child showing only bone deposition over the maxilla. (d) Facial morphogenetic map of the SH hominins based on Cranium 9 showing bone deposition over the maxilla with some resorption localized to the entrance to the nasal cavity and lateral maxilla. Remaining SH specimens showed similar facial maps. (e,f) Facial morphogenetic maps of human sub-adults showing resorption as the dominating feature over the maxilla. These specimens are of similar age to the Devil’s Tower child (e) and SH Cranium 9 (f), respectively.
