The Stowers Institute's Pourquié Lab has shed light on the mechanism causing animals to develop the appropriate number of vertebrae.

The Stowers Institute’s Pourquié Lab has demonstrated the role of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in the embryonic process of somitogenesis, an event required for vertebrae formation, in a paper posted to the Web site of the journal Development. The paper will appear in the November print issue of the journal.

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill - Scoliosis is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. It is most often diagnosed in childhood or early adolescence, but can also be diagnosed in adults. The spine's normal curves occur at the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions in the so-called “sagittal” plane. These natural curves position the head over the pelvis and work as shock absorbers to distribute mechanical stress during movement.