Craniofacial Morphogenesis
To illustrate the development of the human craniofacial region, we produce computer-aided 3D reconstructions based on histological series. We also deal with multi-modal imaging (ultrasound, μ-MRI, μ-CT, 3D reconstructions) of human fetuses.
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In order to visualize the development of the human craniofacial region we produce computer-aided 3D-reconstructions from histological serial sections.
Basic science on the morphological level requires images, since research is focused on questions regarding shape, form and spatial relationship of developing structures. Since developing structures stretch out in space the images must contain the 3D information, if not time as a 4th dimension must be added.
For this reason, histological serial sections are the best prerequisite for generating computer-aided graphic reconstructions. The Department of Oral Structural and Developmental Biology uses the Software Analysis (SIS, Münster).
More about this in the paper: "An atlas of prenatal development of the human orofacial region".
Images: Human fetus, 20 mm SSL, Viscerocranium, reconstructed with Analysis (SIS).