449 results on '"Spiny mouse"'
Search Results
52. Introduction
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von Dorsche, Herwig Hahn, Schäfer, Harald, Titlbach, Milan, Beck, F., editor, Hild, W., editor, Kriz, W., editor, Pauly, J. E., editor, Sano, Y., editor, Schiebler, T. H., editor, von Dorsche, Herwig Hahn, Schäfer, Harald, and Titlbach, Milan
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- 1994
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53. The feto-placental unit, and potential roles of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in prenatal and postnatal brain development: A re-examination using the spiny mouse.
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Quinn, Tracey A., Ratnayake, Udani, Dickinson, Hayley, Castillo-Melendez, Margie, and Walker, David W.
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DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE , *NEURAL development , *FETAL development , *MICE physiology , *ADRENAL glands - Abstract
Synthesis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by the fetal adrenal gland is important for placental oestrogen production, and may also be important for modulating the effects of glucocorticoids on the developing brain. We have preciously shown that the enzymes and accessory proteins needed for DHEA synthesis—cytochrome P450 enzyme 17α-hydroxylase/17,20 lyase (P450c17), cytochrome-b5 (Cytb5), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3βHSD)—are expressed in the adrenal gland from 30 days gestation, and DHEA, cortisol and aldosterone are present in fetal plasma from this time. Explant culture of fetal adrenal tissue showed that the spiny mouse adrenal gland, can synthesize and secrete DHEA from at least 0.75 of gestation, and suggest that DHEA may have an important role(s) in placental biosynthesis of oestrogens and in modulating the actions of glucocorticoids in the developing brain in this species. Post-natally, increased immuno-expression of P450c17 and Cytb5 expression in the zona reticularis of the adrenal gland and a significant increase in the synthesis and secretion of DHEA in plasma from 8 to 20 days of age in the spiny mouse, are representative of a period of high adrenal androgen production consistent with the human phenomenon of adrenarche. The studies summarised in this review also show that DHEA is produced de novo in the developing brain of the spiny mouse. These results showed that the spiny mouse brain can indeed produce DHEA from pregnenolone in a time-dependant manner, and coupled with the identification of P450c17 and Cytb5 protein in several regions of the brain, support the idea that DHEA is an endogenous neuro-active steroid in this species. Together, the studies outlined in this review indicate that the androgen DHEA is an important hormone of adrenal and Central Nervous System (CNS) origin in the fetal and postnatal spiny mouse. Disturbance of the development of these fetal tissues, and/or of the relationship between the fetal adrenal gland and placenta during pregnancy, may have significant consequences for fetal development, placental function, and maturation of the brain. It is proposed that such disturbances of normal adrenal function could account for some of the neuropathologies that arise in juvenile and adult offspring following illness and stress experienced by the mother during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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54. Dietary interventions designed to protect the perinatal brain from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy – Creatine prophylaxis and the need for multi-organ protection.
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Ellery, Stacey J., Dickinson, Hayley, McKenzie, Matthew, and Walker, David W.
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CREATINE , *ASPHYXIA in children , *NEONATAL mortality , *BRAIN congestion , *DIETARY supplements , *BRAIN damage , *FETAL nutrition , *THERAPEUTICS ,RISK factors - Abstract
Birth asphyxia or hypoxia arises from impaired placental gas exchange during labor and remains one of the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is a condition that can strike in pregnancies that have been uneventful until these final moments, and leads to fundamental loss of cellular energy reserves in the newborn. The cascade of metabolic changes that occurs in the brain at birth as a result of hypoxia can lead to significant damage that evolves over several hours and days, the severity of which can be ameliorated with therapeutic cerebral hypothermia. However, this treatment is only applied to a subset of newborns that meet strict inclusion criteria and is usually administered only in facilities with a high level of medical surveillance. Hence, a number of neuropharmacological interventions have been suggested as adjunct therapies to improve the efficacy of hypothermia, which alone improves survival of the post-hypoxic infant but does not altogether prevent adverse neurological outcomes. In this review we discuss the prospect of using creatine as a dietary supplement during pregnancy and nutritional intervention that can significantly decrease the risk of brain damage in the event of severe oxygen deprivation at birth. Because brain damage can also arise secondarily to compromise of other fetal organs (e.g., heart, diaphragm, kidney), and that compromise of mitochondrial function under hypoxic conditions may be a common mechanism leading to damage of these tissues, we present data suggesting that dietary creatine supplementation during pregnancy may be an effective prophylaxis that can protect the fetus from the multi-organ consequences of severe hypoxia at birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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55. Ear wound regeneration in the African spiny mouse Acomys cahirinus.
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Matias Santos, Dino, Rita, Ana Martins, Casanellas, Ignasi, Brito Ova, Adélia, Araújo, Inês Maria, Power, Deborah, and Tiscornia, Gustavo
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EAR injuries , *MUSCLE regeneration , *ACOMYS , *METAZOA , *ADIPOSE tissues , *DERMIS - Abstract
While regeneration occurs in a number of taxonomic groups across the Metazoa, there are very few reports of regeneration in mammals, which generally respond to wounding with fibrotic scarring rather than regeneration. A recent report described skin shedding, skin regeneration and extensive ear punch closure in two rodent species, Acomys kempi and Acomys percivali. We examined these striking results by testing the capacity for regeneration of a third species, Acomys cahirinus, and found a remarkable capacity to repair full thickness circular punches in the ear pinna. Four-millimeter-diameter wounds closed completely in 2 months in 100% of ear punches tested. Histology showed extensive formation of elastic cartilage, adipose tissue, dermis, epidermis and abundant hair follicles in the repaired region. Furthermore, we demonstrated abundant angiogenesis and unequivocal presence of both muscle and nerve fibers in the reconstituted region; in contrast, similar wounds in C57BL/6 mice simply healed the borders of the cut by fibrotic scarring. Our results confirm the regenerative capabilities of Acomys, and suggest this model merits further attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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56. Diversity and Karyotypic Evolution in the Genus Neacomys (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae).
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da Silva, Willam O., Pieczarka, Julio C., Rossi, Rogério V., Schneider, Horacio, Sampaio, Iracilda, Miranda, Cleuton L., da Silva, Cláudia R., Cardoso, Elizandra M., and Nagamachi, Cleusa Y.
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RODENTS , *BIOLOGICAL evolution , *ANIMAL diversity , *SPECIES , *KARYOTYPES , *HETEROCHROMATIN , *MOLECULAR phylogeny - Abstract
Neacomys (Sigmodontinae) comprises 8 species mainly found in the Amazonian region. We describe 5 new karyotypes from Brazilian Amazonia: 2 cytotypes for N. paracou (2n = 56/FNa = 62-66), 1 for N. dubosti (2n = 64/FNa = 68), and 2 for Neacomys sp. (2n = 58/FNa = 64-70), with differences in the 18S rDNA. Telomeric probes did not show ITS. We provide a phylogeny using Cytb, and the analysis suggests that 2n = 56 with a high FNa is ancestral for the genus, as found in N. paracou, being retained by the ancestral forms of the other species, with an increase in 2n occurring independently in N. spinosus and N. dubosti. Alternatively, an increase in 2n may have occurred in the ancestral taxon of the other species, followed by independent 2n-reduction events in Neacomys sp. and in the ancestral species of N. tenuipes, N. guianae, N. musseri, and N. minutus. Finally, a drastic reduction event in the diploid number occurred in the ancestral species of N. musseri and N. minutus which exhibit the lowest 2n of the genus. The karyotypic variations found in both intra- and interspecific samples, associated with the molecular phylogeny, suggest a chromosomal evolution with amplification/deletion of constitutive heterochromatin and rearrangements including fusions, fissions, and pericentric inversions. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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57. Castoreum of Beaver (Castor Canadensis): Function, Chemistry and Biological Activity of Its Components
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Müller-Schwarze, Dietland, Doty, Richard L., editor, and Müller-Schwarze, Dietland, editor
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- 1992
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58. Evolution of Sound Localization in Mammals
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Heffner, Rickye S., Heffner, Henry E., Webster, Douglas B., editor, Popper, Arthur N., editor, and Fay, Richard R., editor
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- 1992
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59. Klossiellosis, Kidney, Mouse, Rat
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Barthold, Stephen W., Jones, Thomas Carlyle, editor, Hard, Gordon C., editor, and Mohr, Ulrich, editor
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- 1998
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60. Insights into the regeneration of skin from Acomys , the spiny mouse
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Malcolm Maden and Jason O. Brant
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0301 basic medicine ,Wound Healing ,biology ,Regeneration (biology) ,Laboratory mouse ,Dermatology ,Regenerative process ,biology.organism_classification ,Biochemistry ,Panniculus carnosus ,Cell biology ,030207 dermatology & venereal diseases ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Spiny mouse ,Dermis ,medicine ,Animals ,Murinae ,Epidermis ,Wound healing ,Molecular Biology ,Skin - Abstract
Members of the Acomys genus, known as spiny mice, are unique among mammals in being perfectly capable of regenerating large areas of skin that have been removed. During this regenerative process hairs, sebaceous glands, erector pili muscles, adipocytes and the panniculus carnosus all regenerate and the dermis does not scar. We review here the processes that the epidermis and the individual components of the dermis undergo during spiny mouse regeneration as well as the molecules that have been identified as potentially important in regeneration. We then relate this to what has been proposed as playing a role in studies from the laboratory mouse, Mus musculus. Differences in the immune systems of spiny mice and laboratory mice are also highlighted as this is suggested to play a part not only in the perfect wound healing that embryos display but also in regeneration in lower vertebrates.
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- 2019
61. Unique behavior of dermal cells from regenerative mammal, the African Spiny Mouse, in response to substrate stiffness
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Ryosuke Yokosawa, Chelsey S. Simmons, Jason O. Brant, Justin Sandler, Andres Rubiano, Malcolm Maden, P. Nicole Serrano, Marah Mukhtar, and Daniel C. Stewart
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Keratinocytes ,0301 basic medicine ,Biomedical Engineering ,Biophysics ,Matrix (biology) ,Dermal fibroblast ,Cicatrix ,03 medical and health sciences ,Dermis ,Skin Physiological Phenomena ,medicine ,Animals ,Regeneration ,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine ,Skin ,Wound Healing ,integumentary system ,biology ,Chemistry ,Regeneration (biology) ,Rehabilitation ,Fibroblasts ,biology.organism_classification ,Actins ,Cell biology ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Spiny mouse ,Murinae ,Keratinocyte ,Wound healing ,Myofibroblast - Abstract
The African Spiny Mouse (Acomys spp.) is a unique outbred mammal capable of full, scar-free skin regeneration. In vivo, we have observed rapid reepithelialization and deposition of normal dermis in Acomys after wounding. Acomys skin also has a lower modulus and lower elastic energy storage than normal lab mice, Mus musculus. To see if the different in vivo mechanical microenvironments retained an effect on dermal cells and contributed to regenerative behavior, we examined isolated keratinocytes in response to physical wounding and fibroblasts in response to varying substrate stiffness. Classic mechanobiology paradigms suggest stiffer substrates will promote myofibroblast activation, but we do not see this in Acomys dermal fibroblasts (DFs). Though Mus DFs increase organization of α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA)-positive stress fibers as substrate stiffness increases, Acomys DFs assemble very few αSMA-positive stress fibers upon changes in substrate stiffness. Acomys DFs generate lower traction forces than Mus DFs on pliable surfaces, and Acomys DFs produce and modify matrix proteins differently than Mus in 2D and 3D culture systems. In contrast to Acomys DFs “relaxed” behavior, we found that freshly isolated Acomys keratinocytes retain the ability to close wounds faster than Mus in an in vitro scratch assay. Taken together, these preliminary observations suggest that Acomys dermal cells retain unique biophysical properties in vitro that may reflect their altered in vivo mechanical microenvironment and may promote scar-free wound healing.
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- 2018
62. β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation Prevents Bone Loss during Pregnancy—Novel Evidence from a Spiny Mouse (Acomys cahirinus) Model
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Dorota Laskowska-Woźniak, Agnieszka Tomczyk-Warunek, Piotr Dobrowolski, Siemowit Muszyński, Rudolf Blicharski, Janine Donaldson, Monika Hułas-Stasiak, Krzysztof Lamorski, Tomasz Blicharski, Jakub Kosiński, and Ewa Tomaszewska
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0301 basic medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,030209 endocrinology & metabolism ,β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate ,Bone tissue ,bone ,Catalysis ,lcsh:Chemistry ,Inorganic Chemistry ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Second trimester ,Internal medicine ,Acomys cahirinus ,Medicine ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,spiny mouse model ,skin and connective tissue diseases ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,Molecular Biology ,Spectroscopy ,Hyaline ,Pregnancy ,biology ,business.industry ,Cartilage ,Organic Chemistry ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Computer Science Applications ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Endocrinology ,Mineral density ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,lcsh:QD1-999 ,Spiny mouse ,pregnancy ,business ,human activities - Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation during pregnancy on postpartum bone tissue quality by assessing changes in trabecular and compact bone as well as in hyaline and epiphyseal cartilage. The experiment was carried out on adult 6-month-old female spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) divided into three groups: pregnant control (PregCont), pregnant HMB-treated (supplemented with 0.02 g/kg b.w of HMB during the second trimester of pregnancy, PregHMB), and non-pregnant females (NonPreg). Cross-sectional area and cortical index of the femoral mid-shaft, stiffness, and Young modulus were significantly greater in the PregHMB group. Whole-bone mineral density was similar in all groups, and HMB supplementation increased trabecular number. Growth plate cartilage was the thinnest, while the articular cartilage was the thickest in the PregHMB group. HMB supplementation increased the content of proteoglycans in the articular cartilage and the percentage of immature collagen content in metaphyseal trabeculae and compact bone. In summary, dietary HMB supplementation during the second trimester of pregnancy intensifies bone metabolic processes and prevents bone loss during pregnancy.
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- 2021
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63. Postpartum ovulation and early pregnancy in the menstruating spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus
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Evdokia Dimitriadis, Peter Temple-Smith, Nadia Bellofiore, and Jarrod McKenna
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Ovulation ,0301 basic medicine ,Cell biology ,Spiral artery ,Science ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Physiology ,Endometrium ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,Medical research ,0302 clinical medicine ,Pre-Eclampsia ,Pregnancy ,Developmental biology ,Follicular phase ,Reproductive biology ,medicine ,Animals ,Endocrine system ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,media_common ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Postpartum Period ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Menstruation ,Disease Models, Animal ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Spiny mouse ,Medicine ,Female ,Murinae - Abstract
Egyptian spiny mice are the only known species to have human-like menstruation and a postpartum ovulation. Unfortunately, no endocrine or morphological evidence has been provided for a postpartum ovulation in spiny mice, and while later stages of pregnancy have been well studied, early events including embryo implantation and spiral artery remodelling have not been reported. This study compared the sex steroid endocrinology and reproductive tract morphology of dams at eight timepoints (n = 40) postpartum to determine the timing of ovulation and the timing and invasiveness of embryo implantation in A. cahirinus. Reproductive tracts were fixed and stained for histology and immunohistochemistry, and plasma was prepared for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ovarian histology and estradiol-17B concentrations indicate ovulation within 48 h of parturition and then immediate resumption of follicular growth. Uterine histology and immunohistochemistry revealed progressive epithelial repair, endometrial growth and spiral artery assembly and remodelling in dams postpartum. Blastocysts were seen in the uterine lumen at day 4–5 postpartum and embryos had implanted superficially with minimal stromal invasion by day 5–6. This study provides further evidence for the unique, humanesque reproductive biology of spiny mice and for a postpartum ovulation using endocrine and morphological changes observed during early pregnancy. Taken together, our data suggest that spiny mice may act as appropriate models of human pregnancy disorders such as implantation failure or pre-eclampsia.
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- 2021
64. Ischemic tolerance and cardiac repair in the African spiny mouse
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Jochem Boeter, Elke F. Roovers, Eva van Rooij, Henriette van Beijnum, Antonio Tomasso, Tim Koopmans, Kerstin Bartscherer, Divyanshu Malhotra, and Danielle Versteeg
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Rodent ,Regeneration (biology) ,Disease ,Biology ,medicine.disease ,Bioinformatics ,biology.organism_classification ,Spiny mouse ,biology.animal ,Cardiac repair ,medicine ,Myocardial infarction ,Ischemic heart ,Cause of death - Abstract
Ischemic heart disease and by extension myocardial infarction is the primary cause of death worldwide, necessitating regenerative therapies to restore heart function. Current models of heart regeneration are restricted in that they are not of adult mammalian origin, precluding the study of class-specific traits that have emerged throughout evolution, and reducing translatability of research findings to humans. Here, we overcome those restrictions by introducing the African spiny mouse (Acomys spp.), a murid rodent that has recently been found to exhibit bona fide regeneration of the back skin and ear pinna. We show that spiny mice exhibit tolerance to myocardial infarction through superior survivability, improved ventricular conduction, smaller scar size, and near-absence of cardiac remodeling. Critically, spiny mice display increased vascularization and cardiomyocyte expansion, with an associated improvement in heart function. These findings present new avenues for mammalian heart research by leveraging unique tissue properties of the spiny mouse.
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- 2021
65. Spiny mouse (Acomys): an emerging research organism for regenerative medicine with applications beyond the skin
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David D. Fuller, Justin A. Varholick, Sabhya Rana, Chelsey S. Simmons, Janak Gaire, Malcolm Maden, Michael D. Sunshine, Sylvain Doré, and W. Brad Barbazuk
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0301 basic medicine ,integumentary system ,Skin wound ,Physiology ,Regeneration (biology) ,Biomedical Engineering ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,Cell Biology ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Regenerative medicine ,Experimental models of disease ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,0302 clinical medicine ,Spiny mouse ,Preclinical research ,Perspective ,Medicine ,Regeneration and repair in the nervous system ,Neuroscience ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Organism ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
The spiny mouse (Acomys species) has emerged as an exciting research organism due to its remarkable ability to undergo scarless regeneration of skin wounds and ear punches. Excitingly, Acomys species demonstrate scar-free healing in a wide-range of tissues beyond the skin. In this perspective article, we discuss published findings from a variety of tissues to highlight how this emerging research organism could shed light on numerous clinically relevant human diseases. We also discuss the challenges of working with this emerging research organism and suggest strategies for future Acomys-inspired research.
- Published
- 2021
66. Maternal creatine homeostasis is altered during gestation in the spiny mouse: is this a metabolic adaptation to pregnancy?
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Ellery, Stacey J., LaRosa, Domenic A., Kett, Michelle M., Della Gatta, Paul A., Snow, Rod J., Walker, David W., and Dickinson, Hayley
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CREATINE , *METABOLISM in pregnancy , *FETUS , *HOMEOSTASIS , *PLACENTA , *HEALTH - Abstract
Background: Pregnancy induces adaptations in maternal metabolism to meet the increased need for nutrients by the placenta and fetus. Creatine is an important intracellular metabolite obtained from the diet and also synthesised endogenously. Experimental evidence suggests that the fetus relies on a maternal supply of creatine for much of gestation. However, the impact of pregnancy on maternal creatine homeostasis is unclear. We hypothesise that alteration of maternal creatine homeostasis occurs during pregnancy to ensure adequate levels of this essential substrate are available for maternal tissues, the placenta and fetus. This study aimed to describe maternal creatine homeostasis from mid to late gestation in the precocial spiny mouse. Methods: Plasma creatine concentration and urinary excretion were measured from mid to late gestation in pregnant (n = 8) and age-matched virgin female spiny mice (n = 6). At term, body composition and organ weights were assessed and tissue total creatine content determined. mRNA expression of the creatine synthesising enzymes arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT) and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT), and the creatine transporter (CrT1) were assessed by RT-qPCR. Protein expression of AGAT and GAMT was also assessed by western blot analysis. Results: Plasma creatine and renal creatine excretion decreased significantly from mid to late gestation (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, respectively). Pregnancy resulted in increased lean tissue (P < 0.01), kidney (P < 0.01), liver (P < 0.01) and heart (P < 0.05) mass at term. CrT1 expression was increased in the heart (P < 0.05) and skeletal muscle (P < 0.05) at term compared to non-pregnant tissues, and creatine content of the heart (P < 0.05) and kidney (P < 0.001) were also increased at this time. CrT1 mRNA expression was down-regulated in the liver (<0.01) and brain (<0.01) of pregnant spiny mice at term. Renal AGAT mRNA (P < 0.01) and protein (P < 0.05) expression were both significantly up-regulated at term, with decreased expression of AGAT mRNA (<0.01) and GAMT protein (<0.05) observed in the term pregnant heart. Brain AGAT (<0.01) and GAMT (<0.001) mRNA expression were also decreased at term. Conclusion: Change of maternal creatine status (increased creatine synthesis and reduced creatine excretion) may be a necessary adjustment of maternal physiology to pregnancy to meet the metabolic demands of maternal tissues, the placenta and developing fetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2015
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67. The influence of food quantity on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values in southern African spiny mice ( Acomys spinosissimus).
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Robb, G.N., Woodborne, S., de Bruin, P.R., Medger, K., and Bennett, N.C.
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STABLE isotope analysis , *ANIMAL feeding behavior , *NITROGEN content of food , *CARBON , *ACOMYS , *FOOD chemistry , *ECOLOGICAL niche - Abstract
Stable isotope analysis is frequently applied as a tool to examine dietary patterns in animals. However, some of the underlying assumptions associated with using this approach are increasingly being questioned. We carried out a controlled diet experiment on the southern African spiny mouse ( Acomys spinosissimus Peters, 1852) to test a number of aspects relating to these assumptions and also examine the hypothesis that stable isotopes, especially δ15N, can be used to provide evidence of nutritional stress. We compared the δ13C and δ15N values of livers and blood from animals that were fed ad libitum with animals undergoing a 10% reduction in food supply. Food-restricted animals showed no significant difference in δ15N; however, δ13C values of both liver and blood were depleted. Restricted animals also had a significantly lower C:N ratio. We examined the role of lipids and found following lipid extraction that both livers and lipids still showed the same separation in carbon values. Tissue-diet discrimination values were also calculated and found to be higher for both Δ13C and Δ15N compared with other mice species. Empirical values for discrimination rates were then compared with values calculated using an alternative method based on employing generic values and were found to be dissimilar, suggesting the use of generic values are not always appropriate. Our results highlight the need for greater understanding of the assumptions associated with using stable isotope analysis to examine diet and we suggest that studying a single species under captive conditions presents an ideal method to begin to test these hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2015
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68. Spiny mice (Acomys) exhibit attenuated hallmarks of aging and rapid cell turnover after UV exposure in the skin epidermis
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Malcolm Maden, James R. Monaghan, Ashley W. Seifert, Austin Kim, Justin D. Crane, and Wesley Wong
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0301 basic medicine ,Senescence ,Male ,Aging ,Keratin 14 ,DNA damage ,Ultraviolet Rays ,Science ,Context (language use) ,Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Mice ,0302 clinical medicine ,Keratin ,Animals ,Cellular Senescence ,Cell Proliferation ,Skin ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Multidisciplinary ,Epidermis (botany) ,integumentary system ,Regeneration (biology) ,biology.organism_classification ,Cell biology ,Mice, Inbred C57BL ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Spiny mouse ,Epidermal Cells ,Medicine ,Female ,Epidermis ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Research Article - Abstract
The study of long-lived and regenerative animal models has revealed diverse protective responses to stressors such as aging and tissue injury. Spiny mice (Acomys) are a unique mammalian model of skin wound regeneration, but their response to other types of physiological skin damage has not been investigated. In this study, we examine how spiny mouse skin responds to acute UVB damage or chronological aging compared to non-regenerative C57Bl/6 mice (M. musculus). We find that, compared to M. musculus, the skin epidermis in A. cahirinus experiences a similar UVB-induced increase in basal cell proliferation but exhibits increased epidermal turnover. Notably, A. cahirinus uniquely form a suprabasal layer co-expressing Keratin 14 and Keratin 10 after UVB exposure concomitant with reduced epidermal inflammatory signaling and reduced markers of DNA damage. In the context of aging, old M. musculus animals exhibit typical hallmarks including epidermal thinning, increased inflammatory signaling and senescence. However, these age-related changes are absent in old A. cahirinus skin. Overall, we find that A. cahirinus have evolved novel responses to skin damage that reveals new aspects of its regenerative phenotype.
- Published
- 2020
69. Age at weaning, immunocompetence and ectoparasite performance in a precocial desert rodent.
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Dlugosz, Elizabeth M., de Bellocq, Joelle Goüy, Khokhlova, Irina S., Degen, A. Allan, Pinshow, Berry, and Krasnov, Boris R.
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IMMUNOCOMPETENT cells , *ANIMAL weaning , *RODENTS , *PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININS , *PARASITISM , *IMMUNE response - Abstract
We studied the effects of early weaning on immunocompetence and parasite resistance in a precocial rodent Acomys cahirinus. We hypothesized that if parasite resistance is energetically expensive and nutritional and immunological support from mothers are necessary for the long-term health of offspring, then early weaned animals would be immunologically weaker and less able to defend themselves against parasites than later weaned animals. We weaned pups at 14, 21 or 28 days after birth and assessed their immunocompetence and resistance against fleas Parapulex chephrenis when they attained adulthood. Immunocompetence was assessed using leukocyte concentration (LC) and a phytohaemagglutinin injection assay (PHA test). To estimate resistance against fleas, we measured performance of fleas via the number of produced eggs and duration of development and resistance to starvation of the flea offspring. We found a significant positive effect of weaning age on the PHA response but not on LC. The effect of age at weaning on flea egg production was manifested in male but not female hosts, with egg production being higher if a host was weaned at 14 than at 28 days. Weaning age of the host did not affect either duration of development or resistance to starvation of fleas produced by mothers fed on these hosts. We conclude that even in relatively precocial mammals, weaning age is an important indicator of future immunological responses and the ability of an animal to resist parasite infestations. Hosts weaned at an earlier age make easier, less-resistant targets for parasite infestations than hosts weaned later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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70. Prenatal Exposure to the Viral Mimetic Poly I:C Alters Fetal Brain Cytokine Expression and Postnatal Behaviour.
- Author
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Ratnayake, Udani, Quinn, Tracey, LaRosa, Domenic a., Dickinson, Hayley, and Walker, David W.
- Abstract
An increased incidence of mental illness disorders is found in children and adolescents born to mothers who experienced an infection-based illness during pregnancy. Animal models to study the prenatal origin of such outcomes of pregnancy have largely used conventional rodents, which are immature (altricial) at birth compared with the human neonate. In this study, we used the precocial spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus), whose offspring have completed organogenesis at birth, and administered a single subcutaneous injection of a 5 mg/kg dose of the viral mimetic poly I:C (polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid) at mid gestation (20 days; term is 39 days). Prenatal exposure to poly I:C caused a transient weight loss in the pregnant dam, produced a downregulation of the proinflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-α in the fetal brain, and resulted in abnormalities in sensorimotor gating and reduced social interaction, memory and learning in juvenile offspring. No changes in exploratory activity or anxiety and fear behaviours were found between the treatment groups. This study provides evidence that, in a rodent model that more closely resembles human brain development, prenatal infection can lead to behavioural abnormalities in postnatal life. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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71. Down in the Wadi: The locomotory activity rhythm of the Arabian spiny mouse, Acomys dimidiatus from the Arabian Peninsula.
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Alagaili, A.N., Mohammed, O.B., Bennett, N.C., and Oosthuizen, M.K.
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PENINSULAS , *LABORATORY mice , *LOCOMOTION , *CIRCADIAN rhythms , *DESERTS , *RODENT physiology - Abstract
The circadian rhythm of locomotory activity in the Arabian spiny mouse, a desert living species, was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. Ten individuals were subjected to successive light cycles. When subjected to a 12L:12D light cycle, locomotor activity was confined mainly to the dark phase (mean 94.2% ± 1.6%). During a period of constant darkness (DD), all animals expressed free running rhythms of locomotor activity (mean 23h49 ± 0h04). Following a second LD cycle, the light and dark phases were inversed (12D:12L). Activity shifted with the lights and was masked during the light phase, re-entrainment was rather slow (up to 10 days). The effect of varying ambient temperature (20–35 °C) on the locomotor activity under a 12L:12D cycle revealed that temperature had no distinct effect on the level of locomotor activity. When the dark component of the day was lengthened to 8L:16D, the mean percentage of activity during the dark increased to 96.0 ± 0.8%, while a significant decrease in night time activity was observed when the dark phase length was decreased to 16L:8D (78.29 ± 2.52%). The Arabian spiny mouse therefore behaves as other desert dwelling rodents and can be described as truly nocturnal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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72. A comparative study of sleep and diurnal patterns in house mouse (Mus musculus) and Spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus)
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Sridhar Sunderam, Trae C. Brooks, Dillon M. Huffman, A Ajwad, Ashley W. Seifert, Chanung Wang, Bruce F. O'Hara, and L.E. Guerriero
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Rodent ,lcsh:Medicine ,Zoology ,Nocturnal ,Non-rapid eye movement sleep ,House mouse ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,Mice ,0302 clinical medicine ,biology.animal ,Acomys cahirinus ,Animals ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology ,Wakefulness ,lcsh:Science ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,lcsh:R ,05 social sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Sleep in non-human animals ,Circadian Rhythm ,Spiny mouse ,Non-REM sleep ,lcsh:Q ,House mice ,Sleep ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Most published sleep studies use three species: human, house mouse, or Norway rat. The degree to which data from these species captures variability in mammalian sleep remains unclear. To gain insight into mammalian sleep diversity, we examined sleep architecture in the spiny basal murid rodent Acomys cahirinus. First, we used a piezoelectric system validated for Mus musculus to monitor sleep in both species. We also included wild M. musculus to control for alterations generated by laboratory-reared conditions for M. musculus. Using this comparative framework, we found that A. cahirinus, lab M. musculus, and wild M. musculus were primarily nocturnal, but exhibited distinct behavioral patterns. Although the activity of A. cahirinus increased sharply at dark onset, it decreased sharply just two hours later under group and individual housing conditions. To further characterize sleep patterns and sleep-related variables, we set up EEG/EMG and video recordings and found that A. cahirinus sleep significantly more than M. musculus, exhibit nearly three times more REM, and sleep almost exclusively with their eyes open. The observed differences in A. cahirinus sleep architecture raise questions about the evolutionary drivers of sleep behavior.
- Published
- 2020
73. Animal models of human pregnancy and placentation: alternatives to the mouse
- Author
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Anthony M. Carter
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Embryology ,Placenta ,Physiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Endocrinology ,Pregnancy ,biology.animal ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Primate ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,biology ,Mouse lemur ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Placentation ,Marmoset ,Cell Biology ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Reproductive Medicine ,Spiny mouse ,Models, Animal ,Gestation ,Female - Abstract
The mouse is often criticized as a model for pregnancy research as gestation is short, with much of organ development completed postnatally. There are also differences in the structure and physiology of the placenta between mouse and human. This review considers eight alternative models that recently have been proposed and two established ones that seem underutilized. A promising newcomer among rodents is the spiny mouse, which has a longer gestation than the mouse with organogenesis complete at birth. The guinea pig is also recommended both because it has well-developed neonates and because there is a wealth of information on pregnancy and placentation in the literature. Several smaller primates are considered. The mouse lemur has its advocates yet is less suited as a model for human pregnancy as its young are altricial, placentation very different from that of humans, and husbandry requirements not fully assessed. In contrast, the common marmoset, a New World monkey, has well-developed neonates and is kept at many primate centres. Marmoset placenta has some features that closely resemble human placentation, such as the interhaemal barrier, although it is uncertain if invasion of the uterine arteries occurs in this species. In conclusion, pregnancy research would benefit greatly from increased use of alternative models such as the spiny mouse and common marmoset. The mouse is often criticized as a model for pregnancy research as gestation is short, with much of organ development completed postnatally. There are also differences in the structure and physiology of the placenta between mouse and human. This review considers eight alternative models that recently have been proposed and two established ones that seem underutilized. A promising newcomer among rodents is the spiny mouse, which has a longer gestation than the mouse with organogenesis complete at birth. The guinea pig is also recommended both because it has well-developed neonates and because there is a wealth of information on pregnancy and placentation in the literature. Several smaller primates are considered. The mouse lemur has its advocates yet is less suited as a model for human pregnancy as its young are altricial, placentation very different from that of humans, and husbandry requirements not fully assessed. In contrast, the common marmoset, a New World monkey, has well-developed neonates and is kept at many primate centres. Marmoset placenta has some features that closely resemble human placentation, such as the interhaemal barrier, although it is uncertain if invasion of the uterine arteries occurs in this species. In conclusion, pregnancy research would benefit greatly from increased use of alternative models such as the spiny mouse and common marmoset.
- Published
- 2020
74. Characteristics of the endometrium in menstruating species: Lessons learned from the Animal Kingdom
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Jens Fedder and Laura Catalini
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Rodent ,media_common.quotation_subject ,placentation ,Physiology ,Review ,Endometrium ,menstrual cycle ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,biology.animal ,Elephant shrew ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,implantation ,endometrium ,Ovulation ,Menstrual cycle ,media_common ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,biology ,Menstruation (mammal) ,Cell Biology ,General Medicine ,biology.organism_classification ,AcademicSubjects/SCI01070 ,Molossus ater ,Menstruation ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Reproductive Medicine ,Spiny mouse ,ovulation ,Models, Animal ,AcademicSubjects/MED00773 ,Female - Abstract
Here we have summarized what is currently known about menstruating animal species with special emphasis on non-primate species: length of their menstrual cycle, ovulation, implantation, placentation, decidualization, and endometrial characteristics. Having an overview of all the possible animal models that can be used to study menstruation and the menstrual cycle could be useful to select the one that better matches the needs of the individual research projects. The most promising species to study menstruation seems to be the spiny mouse Acomys cahirinus. It is a rodent that could be easily held in the existing laboratory facilities for rats and mice but with the great advantage of having spontaneous menstruation and several human-like menstrual cycle characteristics. Among the species of menstruating bats, the black mastiff bat Molossus ater and wild fulvous fruit bat Rousettus leschenaultii are the ones presenting the most human-like characteristics. The elephant shrew seems to be the less suitable species among the ones analyzed. The induced mouse model of menstruation is also presented as an adaptable alternative to study menstruation., A summary of the menstrual cycle and endometrial characteristics of human-like menstruating species.
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- 2020
75. Successful sperm cryopreservation in Egyptian spiny mice Acomys cahirinus
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Sally Catt, Peter Temple-Smith, Jarrod McKenna, and Mulyoto Pangestu
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Male ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Motility ,Reproductive technology ,Biology ,Cryopreservation ,law.invention ,Andrology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Endocrinology ,Cryoprotective Agents ,law ,Genetics ,Animals ,Acrosome ,Molecular Biology ,030304 developmental biology ,media_common ,Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ,0303 health sciences ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,Extender ,biology.organism_classification ,Sperm ,Spermatozoa ,Semen Analysis ,Reproductive Medicine ,Spiny mouse ,Sperm Motility ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Murinae ,Reproduction ,Developmental Biology ,Biotechnology ,Semen Preservation - Abstract
The menstruating Egyptian spiny mouse has recently been proposed as a new animal model for reproductive health research. Unfortunately, little is known about reproduction in males. This study compared several characteristics of sperm function before and after cryopreservation. Epididymal spermatozoa were cryopreserved in different concentrations of raffinose and skim milk and tested for motility and membrane integrity (Experiment 1). Further evaluations of motility, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA integrity were conducted with the addition of l-glutamine to the extender (Experiment 2). The results show that, following cryopreservation, motility and membrane integrity were reduced, but were better maintained in the presence of l-glutamine (P
- Published
- 2020
76. On the ground and in the heights: Does exploratory activity differ in commensal and non-commensal spiny mice?
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Barbora Kaftanová, Iveta Štolhoferová, Kristina Holubova, Barbora Vobrubová, and Daniel Frynta
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0106 biological sciences ,Rodent ,Wire mesh ,05 social sciences ,Zoology ,Mice, Inbred Strains ,General Medicine ,Biology ,Commensalism ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Behavioral Neuroscience ,Human health ,Mice ,Spiny mouse ,Climbing ,biology.animal ,Animals ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Animal Science and Zoology ,050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology ,Murinae ,Symbiosis ,Ecosystem - Abstract
Human settlements represent a specific environment where commensal animals are exposed to different selective pressures than their wild-living conspecifics. Despite the importance of commensal rodents for human health and economy, little is known about how a transition to a commensal way of life changes the behaviour of the animals. We tested twelve populations of spiny mice (Acomys spp.) in two open field-type tests - a vertical test and a hole board test. In the vertical test, a wire mesh for climbing was offered to spiny mice. We used a multipopulation approach using two commensal and ten non-commensal spiny mouse populations to account for inter-population variability. We aimed to investigate whether there are differences in behaviour of commensal and non-commensal populations with special regard to their exploratory activity both on the ground and on the wire mesh. We found that all non-commensal populations behaved similarly despite their long separate evolutionary histories. Contrary, the commensal populations were less exploratory on the ground in both tests. We concluded that this change was associated with their transition to commensalism. This shows that selective pressures of the commensal environment are able to induce noticeable changes in behaviour after a very short evolutionary time.
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- 2020
77. Model systems for regeneration: the spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus
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Justin A. Varholick and Malcolm Maden
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0303 health sciences ,biology ,ved/biology ,Regeneration (biology) ,ved/biology.organism_classification_rank.species ,biology.organism_classification ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Spiny mouse ,Evolutionary biology ,Acomys cahirinus ,Mammal ,Model organism ,Molecular Biology ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,030304 developmental biology ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
The spiny mouse, Acomys spp., is a recently described model organism for regeneration studies. For a mammal, it displays surprising powers of regeneration because it does not fibrose (i.e. scar) in response to tissue injury as most other mammals, including humans, do. In this Primer article, we review these regenerative abilities, highlighting the phylogenetic position of the spiny mouse relative to other rodents. We also briefly describe the Acomys tissues that have been used for regeneration studies and the common features of their regeneration compared with the typical mammalian response. Finally, we discuss the contribution that Acomys has made in understanding the general principles of regeneration and elaborate hypotheses as to why this mammal is successful at regenerating.
- Published
- 2020
78. Commentary on Some Recent Theses Relevant to Combating Aging: December 2019
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Aubrey D.N.J. de Grey and Benjamin Zealley
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Untranslated region ,Gene isoform ,Academic Dissertations as Topic ,Aging ,biology ,business.industry ,Genus Acomys ,medicine.drug_class ,Amylin ,Disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Monoclonal antibody ,Cardiac amyloidosis ,Spiny mouse ,Alzheimer Disease ,Neoplasms ,Medicine ,Humans ,Rejuvenation ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,business ,Neuroscience - Abstract
Theses reviewed in this issue include "Atrophied Thymus, a Tumor Reservoir for Harboring Melanoma Cells," "Evolutionary Adaptations in Developmental Signaling Pathways Underlie Regenerative Scar-Free Wound Repair in African Spiny Mouse (Genus Acomys)," "Integrated Immunoassays on Paper/Polymer Hybrid Microfluidic Devices for Low-Cost Detection of Disease Biomarkers," "RNA Regulation in the Nervous System: CircRNA Expression Changes During Aging, and Function of the Calm1 Extended 3' UTR Isoform," "The Role of Amylin in Alzheimer's Disease," and "Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies to Detect and Halt ATTR Cardiac Amyloidosis and Neuropathy."
- Published
- 2019
79. Molecular and histologic outcomes following spinal cord injury in spiny mice, Acomys cahirinus
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Aaron Gabriel W. Sandoval, David D. Fuller, Michael D. Sunshine, Jason O. Brant, Kristi A. Streeter, and Malcolm Maden
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0303 health sciences ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,biology ,Inflammation ,medicine.disease ,Spinal cord ,biology.organism_classification ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Spiny mouse ,Fibrosis ,medicine ,Immunohistochemistry ,medicine.symptom ,Wound healing ,Spinal cord injury ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,030304 developmental biology ,TIMP1 - Abstract
The spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus)appears to be unique among mammals by showing little scarring or fibrosis after skin or muscle injury, but theAcomysresponse to spinal cord injury (SCI) is unknown. We tested the hypothesis thatAcomyswould have molecular and immunohistochemical evidence of reduced spinal inflammation and fibrosis following SCI as compared to C57BL/6 mice (Mus), which similar to all mammals studied to date exhibits spinal scarring following SCI. Initial experiments used two pathway-focused RT-PCR gene arrays (“wound healing” and “neurogenesis”) to evaluate tissue samples from the C2-C6 spinal cord 3-days after a C3/C4 hemi-crush injury (C3Hc). Based on the gene array, specific genes were selected for RT-qPCR evaluation using species-specific primers. The results supported our hypothesis by showing increased inflammation and fibrosis related gene expression (Serpine 1, Plau, Timp1)inMusas compared toAcomys(P(Bmp2, GDNF, Shh)inAcomyscompared toMus(PAcomys(PAcomys. Collectively, the molecular and histologic results support the hypothesis thatAcomyshas reduced spinal inflammation and fibrosis following SCI. We suggest thatAcomysmay be a useful comparative model to study adaptive responses to SCI.HighlightsSpiny mice (Acomys cahirinus)and C57BL/6 (Mus) were studied after spinal injuryRT-PCR gene arrays suggested different molecular response inAcomysRTq-PCR with species-specific primers showed increased neurogenesis-related signalingHistology indicates reduced scarring and fibrosis inAcomysAcomysmay be a useful comparative model to study SCI
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- 2019
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80. Fitness effects of interspecific competition between two species of desert rodents
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Noa Katz, Tamar Dayan, and Noga Kronfeld-Schor
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Male ,030110 physiology ,0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Reproductive suppression ,Russatus ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Zoology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Competition (biology) ,Mice ,03 medical and health sciences ,Species Specificity ,Animals ,Vaginal smear ,media_common ,biology ,Reproductive success ,Reproduction ,Interspecific competition ,biology.organism_classification ,Muridae ,Golden spiny mouse ,Spiny mouse ,Female ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Desert Climate - Abstract
Many factors affect individual fitness, but while some factors, such as resource availability, have received strong experimental support, others including interspecific competition have rarely been quantified. Nevertheless, interspecific competition is commonly mentioned in the context of reproductive success and fitness. In general, when reproduction is likely to fail, reproductive suppression may occur. We studied the golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus) and the common spiny mouse (A. cahirinus; however, recent molecular analysis in spiny mice from Jordan and Sinai suggests this species is A. dimidiatus (Frynta et al., 2010), as a model for the effect of competition on reproduction in four field enclosures: two populated only by A. russatus individuals, and two populated by individuals of both species. In presence of A. cahirinus, fitness of A. russatus was lower: the number of A. rusatus offspring was significantly lower; more males had regressed testes (indicating reproductive depression); more A. russatus young had damaged tails. However, no clear effect was evident in A. russatus female vaginal smear cytology. We conclude that the presence of A. cahirinus impairs fitness and reproductive success of A. russatus. While various direct and/or indirect mechanisms may be responsible for the effect of competition on reproduction, a plausible mechanism is increased use of torpor induced by the presence of A. cahirinus previously documented in A. russatus.
- Published
- 2018
81. The African spiny mouse (Acomysspp.) as an emerging model for development and regeneration
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Gustavo Tiscornia, Diogo Filipe Cabrita Prata, Gonçalo G. Pinheiro, and Inês M. Araújo
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0301 basic medicine ,Biomedical Research ,General Veterinary ,biology ,Range (biology) ,Organogenesis ,Regeneration (biology) ,Zoology ,Breeding ,biology.organism_classification ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,0302 clinical medicine ,Animal model ,Spiny mouse ,Laboratory Animal Science ,Laboratory animal welfare ,Models, Animal ,Animals ,Regeneration ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Murinae ,Animal Husbandry ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
The African spiny mouse ( Acomys spp.) is an emerging animal model with remarkable biological characteristics that make it a subject of interest for a broad range of research fields. Typically a desert species adapted to a low-calorie diet, spiny mice develop diabetes-related symptoms when switched to high-energy diets. Spiny mice undergo relatively long gestation periods and have small litters of highly developed pups, making them an adequate model for late organogenesis and perinatal biology. Recently, they have been shown to have remarkable healing and regeneration capabilities, which make them unique among mammals. In this work, we describe our experience in housing a colony of African spiny mice and cover all basic aspects of feeding, maintenance and breeding for research purposes.
- Published
- 2018
82. Rewired glycosylation activity promotes scarless regeneration and functional recovery in spiny mice after complete spinal cord transection.
- Author
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Nogueira-Rodrigues, Joana, Leite, Sérgio C., Pinto-Costa, Rita, Sousa, Sara C., Luz, Liliana L., Sintra, Maria A., Oliveira, Raquel, Monteiro, Ana C., Pinheiro, Gonçalo G., Vitorino, Marta, Silva, Joana A., Simão, Sónia, Fernandes, Vitor E., Provazník, Jan, Benes, Vladimir, Cruz, Célia D., Safronov, Boris V., Magalhães, Ana, Reis, Celso A., and Vieira, Jorge
- Subjects
- *
AXONS , *REGENERATION (Biology) , *SPINAL cord , *NERVOUS system regeneration , *GLYCOSYLATION , *CENTRAL nervous system - Abstract
Regeneration of adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) axons is abortive, resulting in inability to recover function after CNS lesion, including spinal cord injury (SCI). Here, we show that the spiny mouse (Acomys) is an exception to other mammals, being capable of spontaneous and fast restoration of function after severe SCI, re-establishing hind limb coordination. Remarkably, Acomys assembles a scarless pro-regenerative tissue at the injury site, providing a unique structural continuity of the initial spinal cord geometry. The Acomys SCI site shows robust axon regeneration of multiple tracts, synapse formation, and electrophysiological signal propagation. Transcriptomic analysis of the spinal cord following transcriptome reconstruction revealed that Acomys rewires glycosylation biosynthetic pathways, culminating in a specific pro-regenerative proteoglycan signature at SCI site. Our work uncovers that a glycosylation switch is critical for axon regeneration after SCI and identifies β3gnt7 , a crucial enzyme of keratan sulfate biosynthesis, as an enhancer of axon growth. [Display omitted] • Acomys spontaneously regains motor and urinary functions following complete SCI • The Acomys SCI site shows abundant axon regeneration and nerve conduction • Acomys assembles a pro-regenerative environment with rewired ECM glycosylation • β3gnt7 is a novel axon regeneration enhancer Nogueira-Rodrigues et al. report that Acomys can recover function after complete spinal cord injury (SCI), assembling a scarless tissue at the injury site, unlike other adult mammals. Transcriptomic analysis of the SCI site shows that injured Acomys builds a specific pro-regenerative proteoglycan signature with a unique glycosylation network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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83. Effects of circadian phase and melatonin injection on anxiety-like behavior in nocturnal and diurnal rodents.
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Bilu, Carmel and Kronfeld-Schor, Noga
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CIRCADIAN rhythms , *MELATONIN , *ANXIETY , *BEHAVIORAL assessment , *NOCTURNAL animals , *PHYSICAL activity , *LABORATORY rats - Abstract
Animals show daily rhythms in most bodily functions, resulting from the integration of information from an endogenous circadian clock and external stimuli. These rhythms are adaptive and are expected to be related to activity patterns, i.e., to be opposite in diurnal and nocturnal species. Melatonin is secreted during the night in all mammalian species, regardless of their activity patterns. Consequently, in diurnal species the nocturnal secretion of melatonin is concurrent with the resting phase, whereas in nocturnal species it is related to an increase in activity. In this research, we examined in three diurnal and three nocturnal rodent species whether a daily rhythm in anxiety-like behavior exists; whether it differs between nocturnal and diurnal species; and how melatonin affects anxiety-like behavior in species with different activity patterns. Anxiety-like behavior levels were analyzed using the elevated plus-maze. We found a daily rhythm in anxiety-like behavior and a significant response to daytime melatonin administration in all three nocturnal species, which showed significantly lower levels of anxiety during the dark phase, and after melatonin administration. The diurnal species showed either an inverse pattern to that of the nocturnal species in anxiety-like behavior rhythm and in response to daytime melatonin injection, or no rhythm and, accordingly, no response to melatonin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
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84. Reproductive biology of Acomys cilicicus Spitzenberger, 1978 (Rodentia: Muridae) in Turkey.
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KIVANÇ, Erkut, MUTLU EYİSON, Hatice, KIRALP, Seda, and EKİM, Okan
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RODENT reproduction , *ACOMYS , *ANIMAL species , *LABORATORY rodents - Abstract
The genus Acomys is represented by 19 species in a vast area in the African and eastern Mediterranean regions. Acomys cilicicus, belonging to the genus Acomys, is an endemic species in Turkey. In this study, by evaluating the reproductive data in laboratory conditions and the natural habitat of A. cilicicus, the reproductive biology of the species was researched in detail for the first time. The data concerning the reproduction of 1404 samples, reproduced from 1 male and 2 females in the laboratory and 34 samples obtained from 6 localities near Silifke, were recorded. For A. cilicicus, it was determined that the pregnancy period was 38-40 days, litter size was 1-3 (n = 321, mean = 2.05), and time to maturity was 2-4 months. The newborns' eyes were closed, their auricles were bonded to the head, they had short hair, their abdomens were hairless, and their backs were dark gray. Dentition was completed within 9-10 days and therefore the newborn could easily take food. Suckling was under control of the mother and carried on for approximately 2-3 months. Furthermore, the reproductive, infanticidal, and cannibalistic behaviors of this species were monitored periodically. These data were compared with A. cahirinus, russatus, nesiotes, minous, and dimidiatus, whose reproductive biologies are known and who are close to A. cilicicus geographically. Finally, it was determined that some reproductive findings of A. cilicicus were compatible with the findings of other species, and some findings were different from those of the species above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2013
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85. Sexually dimorphic placental development throughout gestation in the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus).
- Author
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O'Connell, B.A., Moritz, K.M., Walker, D.W., and Dickinson, H.
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SEXUAL dimorphism in animals ,PLACENTA ,PREGNANCY ,LABORATORY mice ,FETAL development ,GENE expression - Abstract
Abstract: Objectives: It has been hypothesized that male fetuses down regulate placental growth during periods of accelerated fetal growth. We aimed to investigate this, and determine whether sexual dimorphism was apparent in the spiny mouse placenta. We hypothesized that expression of fetal growth promoters would be higher in placentas of males, whereas genes involved in placental structural development would be more highly expressed in placentas of females. Methods: Spiny mouse dams, a precocial rodent with an in utero endocrine milieu dissimilar from other rodents, but akin to humans, were sacrificed at gestational ages 15–37 (term = 39 days). Placentas were collected and processed for histology or qPCR analysis of selected genes (GCM1, MAP2K1, SLC2A1, NR3C1, IGF1, IGF1R). Results: Fetal and placental weights were similar for both sexes. Placentas of female fetuses had less spongy zone (P
SEX < 0.0001), and more labyrinth (PSEX < 0.0001) than males. Early placenta and labyrinth expression of SLC2A1 was higher in males than females (PSEX < 0.05). Labyrinthine IGF1R remained constant until term in the female, compared with male where expression increased until term. Peak MAP2K1 expression occurred earlier in the male placenta than the female. Spongy zone SLC2A1 remained constant until term in the female, compared with male where expression increased until term. Conclusions: The spiny mouse is a species that exhibits sexually dimorphic placental development. We suggest that these sex differences in placental gene expression and structure may underlie or compound the male vulnerability to a sub-optimal in utero environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]- Published
- 2013
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86. Behaviour and hippocampus-specific changes in spiny mouse neonates after treatment of the mother with the viral-mimetic Poly I:C at mid-pregnancy
- Author
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Ratnayake, Udani, Quinn, Tracey A., Castillo-Melendez, Margie, Dickinson, Hayley, and Walker, David W.
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HIPPOCAMPUS (Brain) , *LABORATORY mice , *BEHAVIOR , *IMMUNOLOGICAL adjuvants , *PREGNANCY , *HEALTH outcome assessment , *HISTOLOGY - Abstract
Abstract: Epidemiological studies have suggested a link between prenatal exposure to bacterial or viral infections and subsequent development of mental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Animal models to study the prenatal origin of such outcomes of pregnancy have largely used conventional rodents which are immature at birth compared to the human neonate, and doses of the infective agent (i.e., lipopolysaccharide, Poly I:C) have been large enough to cause sickness behaviour in the mother. In this study we have used the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) whose offspring have completed organogenesis at birth, and a single subcutaneous injection of a low (0.5mg/kg) dose of polyriboinosinic–polyribocytidilic acid (Poly I:C) at mid gestation (20days, term is 39days). The treatment had no effect on maternal, fetal or neonatal survival, or postnatal growth of the offspring. However, offspring showed significant impairments in non-spatial memory and learning tasks, and motor activity. Brain histology examined at 1 and 100days of age revealed significant decreases in reelin, increased GFAP expression, and increased numbers of activated microglia, specifically in the hippocampus. This study provides evidence that a prenatal subclinical infection can have profound effects on brain development that are long-lasting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2012
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87. Effects of birth asphyxia on neonatal hippocampal structure and function in the spiny mouse
- Author
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Fleiss, B., Coleman, H.A., Castillo-Melendez, M., Ireland, Z., Walker, D.W., and Parkington, H.C.
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ASPHYXIA , *HIPPOCAMPUS (Brain) , *NEWBORN infant physiology , *LABORATORY mice , *BIOLOGY experiments , *NEUROPLASTICITY , *GENE expression - Abstract
Abstract: Studies of human neonates, and in animal experiments, suggest that birth asphyxia results in functional compromise of the hippocampus, even when structural damage is not observable or resolves in early postnatal life. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in hippocampal function occur in a model of birth asphyxia in the precocial spiny mouse where it is reported there is no major lesion or infarct. Further, to assess if, as in human infants, this functional deficit has a sex-dependent component. At 37 days gestation (term=39 days) spiny mice fetuses were either delivered immediately by caesarean section (control group) or exposed to 7.5min of in utero asphyxia causing systemic acidosis and hypoxia. At 5 days of age hippocampal function was assessed ex vivo in brain slices, or brains were collected for examination of structure or protein expression. This model of birth asphyxia did not cause infarct or cystic lesion in the postnatal day 5 (P5) hippocampus, and the number of proliferating or pyknotic cells in the hippocampus was unchanged, although neuronal density in the CA1 and CA3 was increased. Protein expression of synaptophysin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and the inositol trisphosphate receptor 1 (IP3R1) were all significantly increased after birth asphyxia, while long-term potentiation (LTP), paired pulse facilitation (PPF), and post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) were all reduced at P5 by birth asphyxia. In control P5 pups, PPF and synaptic fatigue were greater in female compared to male pups, and after birth asphyxia PPF and synaptic fatigue were reduced to a greater extent in female vs. male pups. In contrast, the asphyxia-induced increase in synaptophysin expression and neuronal density were greater in male pups. Thus, birth asphyxia in this precocial species causes functional deficits without major structural damage, and there is a sex-dependent effect on the hippocampus. This may be a clinically relevant model for assessing treatments delivered either before or after birth to protect this vulnerable region of the developing brain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2011
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88. Follicular atresia in the prepubertal spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) ovary.
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Hułas-Stasiak, Monika and Gawron, Antoni
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OVARIAN atresia ,HUMAN abnormalities ,WESTERN immunoblotting ,GRANULOSA cells ,OVARIES - Abstract
This study was designed to determine follicular atresia in the newborn and the prepubertal spiny mouse. We analyzed the processes of follicle loss using classical markers of apoptosis (TUNEL reaction, active caspase-3) and autophagy (Lamp1). Numerous small clear vacuoles and autophagosomes as well as strong Lamp1 staining were observed in dying oocytes of all follicle types, especially of the primordial and primary ones. Active caspase 3 and the TUNEL reaction were detected only in the granulosa cells of large secondary and antral follicles. The expression of apoptosis and autophagy markers was also changing during the prepubertal period. Western blot analysis indicated that at the moment of birth, females undergo an increased rate of follicular atresia mediated by autophagy, while apoptosis is the dominant form of ovarian atresia in consecutive postnatal days. On the basis of these observations, we concluded that apoptosis and autophagy are involved in follicular atresia and these processes are cell and developmental stage-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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89. HÁBITOS ALIMENTICIOS DE Heteromys australis (RODENTIA: HETEROMYIDAE) EN EL NORTE DE LA CORDILLERA CENTRAL DE COLOMBIA.
- Author
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Sánchez-Giraldo, Camilo and Díaz-N., Juan F.
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- 2010
90. Effect of increased dietary salinity on the reproductive status and energy intake of xeric and mesic populations of the spiny mouse, Acomys
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Wube, Tilaye, Haim, Abraham, and Fares, Fuad
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SALINITY , *GENITALIA , *SPERMATOGENESIS , *MICE reproduction , *LABORATORY mice , *BODY weight , *DESERT animals - Abstract
Abstract: The possible role of increased dietary salinity as a proximate regulator of reproduction in xeric population of golden spiny mice (Acomys russatus) and mesic population of common spiny mice (A. cahirinus) was tested. In the wild, as the dry season progresses, evaporative water loss in the vegetation increases. This leads to increase in particle concentration of plant tissues. Thus, species consuming a plant diet are exposed to increased dietary salinity. Both male and female individuals of A. russatus were subjected to gradually increasing dietary salinity (0.9%, 2.5%, 3.5%, and 5%) while those of A. cahirinus only up to 3.5% for a total period of 8 and 6 weeks, respectively. Urine osmolarity showed a significant increase under 3.5% and 5% salinity in A. russatus and 2.5% and 3.5% in A. cahirinus. Testis mass and spermatogenesis were significantly reduced while uterine mass and vaginal estrus cycles were not affected in A. russatus. None of the parameters was significantly affected in A. cahirinus. Increase in salinity also significantly reduced body mass in A. russatus but not in A. cahirinus. Mass-specific daily digestible energy intake was not significantly affected by increased salinity in both species. Recovery individuals regained body mass quickly and surpassed initial values after four weeks. However, testis mass and spermatogenesis did not show recovery. The results suggest that increase in dietary salinity could be used as a proximate signal to regulate reproduction in A. russatus by halting it in males, as the dry season progresses while such role in the mesic population of A. cahirinus is unlikely. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
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91. Of Salamanders and Spiny Mice: Common Features of Regeneration and Stem Cells
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Maden, Malcolm
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- 2017
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92. Between-host phylogenetic distance and feeding efficiency in hematophagous ectoparasites: rodent fleas and a bat host.
- Author
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Krasnov, Boris R., Korine, Carmi, Burdelova, Nadezhda V., Khokhlova, Irina S., and Pinshow, Berry
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- 2007
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93. Of Salamanders and Spiny Mice: Common Features of Regeneration and Stem Cells
- Author
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Malcolm Maden
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,biology ,Ecology ,Regeneration (biology) ,Cell Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Embryonic stem cell ,Cell biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,Immune system ,Spiny mouse ,Axolotl ,Genetics ,Mammal ,Stem cell ,Molecular Biology ,Blastema ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
This review identifies the salient cellular and molecular features of regeneration of the skin and limbs of salamanders to see whether any of these features are in common with recent reports on the spiny mouse (Acomys), a mammal with some remarkable regenerative behavior. Other reports of mammalian regeneration are also highlighted. Mammals have classically been regarded as non-regenerating, but the regeneration of several embryonic and post-natal tissues as well as reports of adult skin and ear hole regeneration have recently been described. Common features of these regenerating systems and those of salamanders are discussed in terms of their immune systems, cytokine responses, matrix composition, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) activation as well as the occurrence of blastemas in these diverse organisms. The common involvement of stem cells in regenerating systems is also addressed. Mammals may not have lost all their regenerative powers, and a more diverse approach across other new model systems may reveal surprising behavior such as that seen in Acomys, the spiny mouse. Mammalian regenerating tissues share many common features with the champions of regeneration, the salamanders.
- Published
- 2017
94. Description of a method for inducing fetal growth restriction in the spiny mouse
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David W. Walker, Suzanne L. Miller, Hayley Dickinson, Stacey J. Ellery, Ilias Nitsos, Mary Tolcos, and Miranda Davies-Tuck
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Male ,Uterus ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,Arterial Occlusive Diseases ,Gestational Age ,Andrology ,Mice ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Pregnancy ,Placenta ,Animals ,Medicine ,Ligation ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,Fetus ,Fetal Growth Retardation ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,biology ,business.industry ,Fetal Body Weight ,Gestational age ,Organ Size ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Disease Models, Animal ,Uterine Artery ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Fetal Weight ,Spiny mouse ,embryonic structures ,Gestation ,Female ,business ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Intrauterine or fetal growth restriction (IUGR) is a major complication of pregnancy and leads to significant perinatal morbidities and mortality. Typically, induction of IUGR in animals involves the complete occlusion or ablation of vessels to the uterus or placenta, acutely impairing blood flow and fetal growth, usually with high fetal loss. We aimed to produce a model of reduced fetal growth in the spiny mouse with minimal fetal loss. At 27 days gestational age (term is 38–39 days), a piece of silastic tubing was placed around the left uterine artery to prevent the further increase of uterine blood flow with advancing gestation to induce IUGR (occluded). Controls were generated from sham surgeries without placement of the tubing. Dams were humanely euthanized at 37 days gestational age and all fetuses and placentas were weighed and collected. Of the 17 dams that underwent surgery, 15 carried their pregnancies to 37 days gestational age and 95% of fetuses survived to this time. The difference in fetal body weight between occluded and control was ~21% for fetuses in the left uterus side: there were no differences for fetuses in the right uterus side. Offspring from the occluded group had significantly lower brain, liver, lung, kidney and carcass weights compared with shams. Preventing the gestation-related increase of uterine blood flow induced significant growth restriction in the fetal spiny mouse, with minimal fetal loss. This technique could be readily adapted for other small animal.
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- 2017
95. Skin fragility in the wild-derived, inbred mouse strain Mus pahari/EiJ
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Soheil S. Dadras, Derry C. Roopenian, Son Yong Karst, John P. Sundberg, Christopher S. Potter, Raoul Kuiper, and C. Herbert Pratt
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Tail ,0301 basic medicine ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Mice, Inbred Strains ,Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (medicine) ,Mus pahari ,Article ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,03 medical and health sciences ,Species Specificity ,Dermis ,medicine ,Animals ,Molecular Biology ,Skin ,integumentary system ,biology ,Anatomy ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Hair follicle ,Molecular biology ,Elasticity ,Elastin ,Mice, Inbred C57BL ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Spiny mouse ,biology.protein ,Collagen ,Epidermolysis bullosa ,Epidermis - Abstract
Mus pahari is a wild-derived, inbred mouse strain. M. pahari colony managers observed fragility of this strain’s skin resulting in separation of tail skin from the mouse if handled incorrectly. Tail skin tension testing of M. pahari resulted in significantly lowered force threshold for caudal skin rupture and loss in comparison to closely related inbred mouse species and subspecies and even more than a model for junctional epidermolysis bullosa. Histologically, the tail skin separated at the subdermal level with the dermis firmly attached to the epidermis, excluding the epidermolysis bullosa complex of diseases. The dermal collagen bundles were abnormally thickened and branched. Elastin fiber deposition was focally altered in the dermis adjacent to the hair follicle. Collagens present in the skin could not be differentiated between the species in protein gels following digestion with pepsin. Together these data suggest that M. pahari have altered extracellular matrix development resulting in separation of the skin below the level of the dermis with moderate force similar to the African spiny mouse (Acomys spp.).
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- 2017
96. Circadian activity rhythms in the spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus
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Weber, E.T. and Hohn, V.M.
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CIRCADIAN rhythms , *SUPRACHIASMATIC nucleus , *LOCOMOTION ,SEX differences (Biology) - Abstract
Abstract: Circadian locomotor rhythms were examined in adult common spiny mice, Acomys cahirinus. Spiny mice demonstrated nocturnal activity, with onset of activity coinciding promptly with onset of darkness. Re-entrainment to 6-h delays of the light–dark cycle was accomplished faster than to 6-h advances. Access to running wheels yielded significant changes in period and duration of daily activity. Novelty-induced wheel running had no effect on phase of activity rhythms. Circadian responses to light at various times of the circadian cycle were temporally similar to those observed in other nocturnal rodent species. No gender differences were observed in any of the parameters measured. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
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- 2005
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97. Effect of Congeneric Chemical Signals of Different Ages on Foraging Response and Food Choice in the Field by Golden Spiny Mice (Acomys russatus).
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Dobly, Alexandre, Rozenfeld, Francine, and Haim, Abraham
- Abstract
The common spiny mice Acomys dimidiatus and golden spiny mice Acomys russatus coexist in the extreme warm and dry parts of the Rift Valley in Israel. However, they are temporally segregated in that the former is nocturnal, whereas the latter is diurnal. Daily rhythms of physiological and behavioral variables in A. russatus responded to semiochemical signals released by A. dimidiatus (in the urine and feces). Both species feed upon the same food items but at different times of the 24-hr cycle. The main aim of the present study was to test under field conditions the foraging response of A. russatus to odors of different ages released by A. dimidiatus. Various feeding and behavioral variables were compared in three groups of A. russatus. The results show that fresh semiochemical signals released by A. dimidiatus decrease the feeding efficiency and increase the rate of smelling from a distance in A. russatus. These results support the idea that temporal segregation between the two coexisting species is at least partly through semiochemicals present in the urine and feces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2001
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98. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of dermal wound healing reveals de novo skeletal muscle regeneration in Acomys cahirinus
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Ruth Davenport, W. Brad Barbazuk, Aaron Gabriel W. Sandoval, J. Lucas Boatwright, Jason O. Brant, and Malcolm Maden
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0301 basic medicine ,Physiology ,Gene Expression ,Muscle Development ,Biochemistry ,Transcriptome ,White Blood Cells ,Mice ,0302 clinical medicine ,Contractile Proteins ,Animal Cells ,Myosin ,Morphogenesis ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Musculoskeletal System ,Skin ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,integumentary system ,Muscles ,Genomics ,Panniculus carnosus ,Cell biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Medicine ,Anatomy ,Cellular Types ,Transcriptome Analysis ,Muscle Regeneration ,Research Article ,Science ,Immune Cells ,Immunology ,Motor Proteins ,Actin Motors ,Myosins ,03 medical and health sciences ,Gene Types ,Molecular Motors ,Tissue Repair ,medicine ,Genetics ,Regeneration ,Animals ,Muscle, Skeletal ,Wound Healing ,Blood Cells ,Regeneration (biology) ,Macrophages ,Skeletal muscle ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Computational Biology ,Proteins ,Cell Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Genome Analysis ,Wnt Proteins ,Cytoskeletal Proteins ,030104 developmental biology ,Spiny mouse ,Skeletal Muscles ,Myogenic regulatory factors ,Regulator Genes ,Murinae ,Wound healing ,Physiological Processes ,Organism Development ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
The African spiny mouse, Acomys spp., is capable of scar-free dermal wound healing. Here, we have performed a comprehensive analysis of gene expression throughout wound healing following full-thickness excisional dermal wounds in both Acomys cahirinus and Mus musculus. Additionally, we provide an annotated, de novo transcriptome assembly of A. cahirinus skin and skin wounds. Using a novel computational comparative RNA-Seq approach along with pathway and co-expression analyses, we identify enrichment of regeneration associated genes as well as upregulation of genes directly related to muscle development or function. Our RT-qPCR data reveals induction of the myogenic regulatory factors, as well as upregulation of embryonic myosin, starting between days 14 and 18 post-wounding in A. cahirinus. In contrast, the myogenic regulatory factors remain downregulated, embryonic myosin is only modestly upregulated, and no new muscle fibers of the panniculus carnosus are generated in M. musculus wounds. Additionally, we show that Col6a1, a key component of the satellite cell niche, is upregulated in A. cahirinus compared to M. musculus. Our data also demonstrate that the macrophage profile and inflammatory response is different between species, with A. cahirinus expressing significantly higher levels of Il10. We also demonstrate differential expression of the upstream regulators Wnt7a, Wnt2 and Wnt6 during wound healing. Our analyses demonstrate that A. cahirinus is capable of de novo skeletal muscle regeneration of the panniculus carnosus following removal of the extracellular matrix. We believe this study represents the first detailed analysis of de novo skeletal muscle regeneration observed in an adult mammal.
- Published
- 2019
99. Monkeys, mice and menses: the bloody anomaly of the spiny mouse
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Nadia Bellofiore and Jemma Evans
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0301 basic medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Rodent ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Uterus ,Reproductive medicine ,Physiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Mice ,0302 clinical medicine ,biology.animal ,Reproductive biology ,Acomys cahirinus ,Genetics ,medicine ,Decidua ,Animals ,Humans ,Genetics (clinical) ,Menstrual cycle ,media_common ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,biology ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,General Medicine ,Haplorhini ,biology.organism_classification ,Menstruation ,Bloody ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Reproductive Medicine ,Spiny mouse ,Commentary ,Female ,Murinae ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
The common spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) is the only known rodent to demonstrate a myriad of physiological processes unseen in their murid relatives. The most recently discovered of these uncharacteristic traits: spontaneous decidual transformation of the uterus in virgin females, preceding menstruation. Menstruation occurring without experimental intervention in rodents has not been documented elsewhere to date, and natural menstruation is indeed rare in the animal kingdom outside of higher order primates. This review briefly summarises the current knowledge of spiny mouse biology and taxonomy, and explores their endocrinology which may aid in our understanding of the evolution of menstruation in this species. We propose that DHEA, synthesised by the spiny mouse (but not other rodents), humans and other menstruating primates, is integral in spontaneous decidualisation and therefore menstruation. We discuss both physiological and behavioural attributes across the menstrual cycle in the spiny mouse analogous to those observed in other menstruating species, including premenstrual syndrome. We further encourage the use of the spiny mouse as a small animal model of menstruation and female reproductive biology.
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- 2019
100. The role of commensalism on vertical activity in exploration tests: a comparison of 12 populations of the genus Acomys
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Štolhoferová, Iveta, Frynta, Daniel, and Špinka, Marek
- Subjects
rodent ,bodlinatá myš ,spiny mouse ,vertical activity ,commensalism ,vertikální aktivita ,šplhání ,climbing ,behaviour ,synantropie ,chování ,hlodavci ,Acomys - Abstract
The objective of this work was to investigate whether there are differences between commensal and non-commensal populations of spiny mice (Acomys spp.). There is a good evidence that some populations of Acomys cahirinus have been commensal since the time of ancient Egypt, that is for at least 3,500 years. Therefore, it could be expected that some adaptation for a commensal way of life have evolved. To find out, I tested twelve populations of spiny mice in two types of open field test - a vertical test and a hole board test. In the vertical test, a wire mesh was added and offered to spiny mice to climb on. Since human settlements represent an environment with a new predation pressure as well as new hiding opportunities like those in heights above the ground, I hypothesized that commensal populations of A. cahirinus would (1) explore less on the ground and (2) prefer to spend more time on the wire mesh than the non-commensal populations. Results supported the first hypothesis as in both tests commensal spiny mice spent less time exploring on the ground than other populations. The second hypothesis, however, was not supported - all populations showed approximately equal interest in the wire mesh and commensal spiny mice did not spend more time on it compared to the others. Nevertheless, an overall...
- Published
- 2019
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