Spectral imaging of mouse skulls undergoing craniosynostosis

Craniosynostosis, the premature fusion of the skull bones at the sutures, is the second most common human birth defect that affects the face and skull. The top most flat bones that comprise the skull, or calvaria, are most often affected. We previously showed that treatment of mouse calvaria with FGF2-soaked beads leads to craniosynostosis. In this study we treated mouse calvaria with FGF2-soaked beads and then used Raman imaging to demonstrate the spatial distribution of apatitic mineral and matrix in the sutures. There was no difference between FGF2 treated and control calvaria in the type of mineral produced (a lightly carbonated apatite), however we did observe increased mineral deposition in FGF2 treated calvaria. Raman imaging has great promise to detect the earliest mineral and matrix changes that occur in craniosynostosis.