Cranial suture integrity is maintained by Fgfr3 in zebrafish

Abstract

Cranial suture formation is a dynamic process requiring precise cellular and molecular coordination to regulate bone growth and suture homeostasis. Despite the recognized role of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 (FGFR3) in this process and its association with Muenke syndrome, one of the most common syndromic craniosynostoses, its precise function remains undefined. Through analyses of cranial suture formation and maintenance in a fgfr3 LoF zebrafish model displaying abnormal suture morphology, we demonstrate for the first time that Fgfr3 plays a pleiotropic role during these events. Transmission electron microscopy and second harmonic generation imaging revealed that Fgfr3 is involved in the proper organization of the collagen network within the suture. By employing specific transgenic reporter lines and studying gene expression of suture mesenchymal stem cell markers via RNAscope in situ hybridization, we show that Fgfr3 is crucial for regulating osteogenesis within the suture. Specifically, Fgfr3 limits the number of osteoprogenitors at the osteogenic front and promotes osteoblast maturation at the suture edge. Finally, our results reveal that Fgfr3-mediated regulation of osteogenesis involves cross-talk between FGF, canonical Wnt, and potentially BMP signaling pathways. In conclusion, these data position Fgfr3 as a central regulator of cranial suture formation and open new perspectives for understanding suture homeostasis and FGFR3-related craniosynostoses.