Suture (joint) 4286422 219702682 2008-06-16T14:12:17Z Dhadams 5909992 /* Primarily visible from the side (norma lateralis) */ 'lambdoid' line did not parse :''This article is about joints in the bones of the cranium. There is also an article about [[Suture (anatomical)|sutures as features of a wide range of animals]]. "Suture" also has other meanings in other contexts:'' :*''[[suture|Surgery]], to describe stitches and other techniques for holding tissues together.'' :*''[[Suture (geology)| Geology]], to describe a certain type of boundary between layers of rock.'' {{Infobox Anatomy | Name = {{PAGENAME}} | Latin = sutura | GraySubject = 70 | GrayPage = 284 | Image = Gray188.png | Caption = Side view of the skull. | Image2 = Human skull side suturas right.svg | Caption2 = Human skull side suturas right | Precursor = | System = | Artery = | Vein = | Nerve = | Lymph = | MeshName = | MeshNumber = | DorlandsPre = s_30 | DorlandsSuf = 12773924 | }} A '''suture''' is a type of [[fibrous joint]] which only occurs in the the skull (or "cranium"). They are bound together by [[Sharpey's fibres]]. A tiny amount of movement is permitted at sutures, which contributes to the [[Compliance (physiology)|compliance]] and [[Elasticity (physics)|elasticity]] of the skull. These joints are [[synarthroses]].<ref name="titleModule - Introduction to Joints">{{cite web |url=http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/modules/joints_module/joints_05.html |title=Module - Introduction to Joints |accessdate=2008-01-29 |format= |work=}}</ref> It is normal for many of the bones of the skull to remain unfused at birth. The term "[[fontanelle]]" is used to describe the resulting "soft spots". The relative positions of the bones continue to change during the life of the adult (though less rapidly), which can provide useful information in [[forensics]] and [[archaeology]]. In old age, cranial sutures may ossify (turn to bone) completely.{{Verify source|date=July 2007}} ==List of sutures== Most sutures are named for the bones they articulate, but some have special names of their own. ===Primarily visible from the side (norma lateralis)=== *[[Coronal suture]] - between the [[frontal]] and [[parietal bone]]s *[[Lambdoid suture]] - between the [[parietal bone|parietal]], [[temporal bone|temporal]] and [[occipital bone|occipital]] bones *[[Occipitomastoid suture]] *[[Parietomastoid suture]] *[[Sphenofrontal suture]] *[[Sphenoparietal suture]] *[[Sphenosquamosal suture]] *[[Sphenozygomatic suture]] *[[Squamosal suture]] - between the parietal and the [[temporal bone]] *[[Zygomaticotemporal suture]] *[[Zygomaticofrontal suture]] ===Primarily visible from front (norma frontalis) or above (norma verticalis) === *[[Frontal suture]] / [[Metopic suture]] - between the two [[frontal bones]], prior to the fusion of the two into a single bone *[[Sagittal suture]] - along the midline, between [[parietal bone]]s ===Primarily visible from below (norma basalis) or inside=== *[[Frontoethmoidal suture]] *[[Petrosquamous suture]] *[[Sphenoethmoidal suture]] *[[Sphenopetrosal suture]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{MedlinePlus|002320}} * [http://www.geocities.com/xerexes/Cranial_sutures.html Age at Death Estimation from Cranial Suture Closures] * http://commons.bcit.ca/biology/articulations/fibrous.html {{Sutures}} {{Joints}} [[Category:Skull]] {{musculoskeletal-stub}} [[de:Sutur]] [[it:Suture del cranio]] [[pl:Szew (anatomia)]] [[sk:Šev (anatómia)]] [[th:ซูเจอร์]]