Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research
Abstract
Main articleSoon after death and burial of an animal, the organic components of bone generally decay. The
closely associated inorganic components (mainly apatite) are more resilient and even after millions
of years of burial, preserve the spatial organisation of the collagen fibres and hence the structure of
the bone. In the past fossil bone histology has been the subject of substantial research. Such studies
have included a wide array of extinct vertebrates including fishes, amphibians, pelycosaurs,
therapsids, ichthyosaurs, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs.
The relative rate ofbone formation is indicated by the texture of the fibrillar matrix, while the overall
nature of the primary compact bone provides a direct assessment of whether bone deposition was
continuous or interrupted. The amount of secondary bone formation depicts the extent of primary
bone resorption and subsequent redeposition. In addition, the internal organisation of bone indicates
remodelling and relocation processes of growth, including functional adaptations of the bone
morphology. Thus, osteohistology reflects ontogeny, growth dynamics, biomechanical adaptations,
as well as various events that punctuate the life history of an animal.the Foundation for
Research and Development (SA), and by the National Science
Foundation (USA)
