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Xie RL, Liang R, Luo YY, Ruan ZH, Li YF, Liu WS. Growth Axis Somatostatin, Growth Hormone Receptor, and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Genes Express and Are Affected by the Injection of Exogenous Growth Hormone in Chinemys reevesii. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2032. [PMID: 38002975 PMCID: PMC10671357 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, to explore the effect of growth hormone changes on the related genes and regulatory roles of the turtle, PCR amplification, real-time fluorescence quantitative analysis, and enzyme cutting technology were used to clone and sequence the somatostatin (SS) gene, growth hormone receptor (GHR), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) sequence of Chinemys reevesii. The effects of human growth hormone on the mRNA expression of growth-axis-related genes SS, GHR, and IGF-1 in different sexes were observed. The study of the SS gene in turtles using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the SS gene was mainly expressed in the nervous system and the digestive system, with the highest expression found in the brain, while the GHR gene and the IGF-I gene were expressed in all tissues of Chinemys reevesii. The SS gene was expressed in the brain, pituitary, liver, stomach, and intestine, with the highest expression in the brain and the lowest expression in the liver. Within 4 weeks of the injection of exogenous growth hormone, the expression level of the SS gene in the brain of both sexes first increased and then decreased, showing a parabolic trend, and the expression level of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group. After the injection of growth hormone (GH), the expression of the GHR gene in the liver of both sexes showed a significant increase in the first week, decreasing to the control group level in the second week, and then gradually increasing. Finally, a significant level of difference in the expression of the GHR gene was reached at 3 and 4 weeks. In terms of the IGF-I gene, the changing trend of the expression level in the liver was the same as that of the GHR gene. After the injection of exogenous growth hormone, although the expression of the SS gene increased the inhibition of the secretion of the GHR gene by the Reeves' turtle, exogenous growth hormone could replace the synthesis of GH and GHR, accelerating the growth of the turtle. The experiments showed that the injection of recombinant human growth hormone affects the expression of SS, GHR, and IGF-1 genes, and promotes the growth of the Reeves' turtle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Lin Xie
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (R.-L.X.); (Y.-Y.L.); (Y.-F.L.)
| | - Rui Liang
- Foshan Institute of Agricultural Science, Foshan 528251, China;
| | - Yuan-Yuan Luo
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (R.-L.X.); (Y.-Y.L.); (Y.-F.L.)
| | - Zhuo-Hao Ruan
- Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510610, China;
| | - Yi-Fu Li
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (R.-L.X.); (Y.-Y.L.); (Y.-F.L.)
| | - Wen-Sheng Liu
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (R.-L.X.); (Y.-Y.L.); (Y.-F.L.)
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Centre of Aquatic Immunization and Aquaculture Health Techniques, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, Guangzhou 510642, China
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Molina-Borja M, Bohórquez-Alonso ML. Morphology, Behaviour and Evolution of Gallotia Lizards from the Canary Islands. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2319. [PMID: 37508096 PMCID: PMC10376385 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We summarize, here, the results from several studies conducted over many years on several endemic species of lizards (genus Gallotia) from the Canary Islands. Quantitative analyses show clear differences both among the species of every island and populations within each species. Sexual dimorphism exists in all analysed species, and a phylogenetic analysis shows that the degree of dimorphism did not change along the evolutionary history of the Canary Islands: species with large and small body sizes have a similar degree of sexual dimorphism, with male body size changes closely following those undergone by females. In G. caesaris (from El Hierro and La Gomera islands) and in G. stehlini (from Gran Canaria), longer hind limb length was correlated with more open habitats. Within most species, males are more conspicuous than females, mainly in terms of body size, behaviour and coloration pattern. Lateral colour spots are blue in most species and green in others. In G. galloti from Tenerife, male lateral spots have larger spot areas and percentage of reflectance in the ultraviolet/blue part of the spectrum than females. This trait shows a monthly variation along April to July, both in males and females, its magnitude being larger in May-June. Behaviour analysis, especially in the last species, shows a great diversity in behaviour patterns, and analysis of intrasexual male competition revealed that contest outcome depends on several morphological and colouration characteristics but mainly on the individual's behaviour. Detailed behavioural analyses were useful for managing a few captive individuals of the highly endangered G. bravoana from La Gomera island. Experimental analyses of some behaviours in the endemic Hierro island lizard (G. simonyi, in danger of extinction) show that individuals may learn to recognize predator models and increase their running speeds with training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Molina-Borja
- Department Animal Biology, Facultad Ciencias, Biología, Universidad La Laguna, 38203 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Martha L Bohórquez-Alonso
- Department Animal Biology, Facultad Ciencias, Biología, Universidad La Laguna, 38203 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
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Frýdlová P, Janovská V, Mrzílková J, Halašková M, Riegerová M, Dudák J, Tymlová V, Žemlička J, Zach P, Frynta D. The first description of dermal armour in snakes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6405. [PMID: 37076516 PMCID: PMC10115820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33244-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoderms, also called dermal armour, often play a role in predator defence. The presence of osteoderms is highly irregularly distributed across the squamate phylogeny and they have not been found in snakes. In this study, we searched for candidate snake species that would benefit from such armour to protect their body, focusing primarily on fossorial species with defensive tail displays. We examined the tail morphology of 27 snake species from different families using micro-computed tomography (µCT) and micro- radiography. We discovered dermal armour in four species of sand boas (Erycidae) that also feature enlarged and highly modified caudal vertebrae. This is the first description of dermal armour in snakes. Ancestral state reconstructions revealed that osteoderms likely evolved once or multiple times in Erycidae. We have not found osteoderms in any other examined snake species. Nevertheless, similar structures are known from unrelated squamate clades, such as gerrhosaurids and geckos. This supports the idea of underlying deep developmental homology. We propose the hypothesis that osteoderms protect sand boas like the "brigandine armour" of medieval warriors. We interpret it as another component of the sand boas' rich defence strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Frýdlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Janovská
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Mrzílková
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milada Halašková
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Riegerová
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dudák
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, 110 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Tymlová
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, 110 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Žemlička
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, 110 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Zach
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic.
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4
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Kubička L, Tureček A, Kučera T, Kratochvíl L. Sex-specific growth arrest in a lizard. iScience 2022; 25:104041. [PMID: 35345458 PMCID: PMC8957014 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) In contrast to mammals and birds, reptiles have been considered as indeterminate growers, whose growth reflects differential allocation of resources to growth versus other energetically demanding processes such as reproduction. (2) We monitored the growth and activity of bone growth plates, hormonal profiles, and reproductive activity in males and females of the male-larger gecko Paroedura picta. We show that growth plates fuse in this species in a sex-specific manner. The more abrupt epiphyseal closure and more pronounced growth deceleration in females coincide with the increased activity of their reproductive organs. (3) We conclude that at least some lizards are determinate growers whose sexual size dimorphism is potentially driven by ovarian hormones. The major difference in growth between endothermic and ectothermic amniotes appears to be in the magnitude of growth before and after the first reproduction, not in the mechanistic processes such as senescence of growth plate cells We monitored activity of bone growth plates in a male-larger gecko Growth plates fused in a sex-specific manner At least some lizards are determinate growers Their sexual size dimorphism seems to be driven by ovarian hormones
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukáš Kubička
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Tureček
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Kučera
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 4, 128 00 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha 2, Czech Republic
- Corresponding author
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Pavón-Vázquez CJ, Esquerré D, Keogh JS. Ontogenetic drivers of morphological evolution in monitor lizards and allies (Squamata: Paleoanguimorpha), a clade with extreme body size disparity. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:15. [PMID: 35151266 PMCID: PMC8840268 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-01970-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Heterochrony, change in the rate or timing of development, is thought to be one of the main drivers of morphological evolution, and allometry, trait scaling patterns imposed by size, is traditionally thought to represent an evolutionary constraint. However, recent studies suggest that the ontogenetic allometric trajectories describing how organisms change as they grow may be labile and adaptive. Here we investigated the role of postnatal ontogenetic development in the morphological diversification of Paleoanguimorpha, the monitor lizards and allies, a clade with extreme body size disparity. We obtained linear and geometric morphometric data for more than 1,600 specimens belonging to three families and 60 species, representing ~ 72% of extant paleoanguimorph diversity. We used these data to undertake one of the largest comparative studies of ontogenetic allometry to date. Results Heterochrony is likely dictating morphological divergence at shallow evolutionary scales, while changes in the magnitude and direction of ontogenetic change are found mainly between major clades. Some patterns of ontogenetic variation and morphological disparity appear to reflect ontogenetic transitions in habitat use. Generally, juveniles are more similar to each other than adults, possibly because species that differ in ecology as adults are arboreal as juveniles. The magnitude of ontogenetic change follows evolutionary models where variation is constrained around an optimal value. Conversely, the direction of ontogenetic change may follow models with different adaptive optima per habitat use category or models where interspecific interactions influence its evolution. Finally, we found that the evolutionary rates of the ontogenetic allometric trajectories are phylogenetically variable. Conclusions The attributes of ontogenetic allometric trajectories and their evolutionary rates are phylogenetically heterogeneous in Paleoanguimorpha. Both allometric constraints and ecological factors have shaped ontogeny in the group. Our study highlights the evolutionary lability and adaptability of postnatal ontogeny, and teases apart how different evolutionary shifts in ontogeny contribute to the generation of morphological diversity at different evolutionary scales. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-01970-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos J Pavón-Vázquez
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia. .,Department of Biological Sciences, New York City College of Technology, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, USA.
| | - Damien Esquerré
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - J Scott Keogh
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
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Frýdlová P, Mrzílková J, Šeremeta M, Křemen J, Dudák J, Žemlička J, Minnich B, Kverková K, Němec P, Zach P, Frynta D. Determinate growth is predominant and likely ancestral in squamate reptiles. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202737. [PMID: 33352069 PMCID: PMC7779497 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Body growth is typically thought to be indeterminate in ectothermic vertebrates. Indeed, until recently, this growth pattern was considered to be ubiquitous in ectotherms. Our recent observations of a complete growth plate cartilage (GPC) resorption, a reliable indicator of arrested skeletal growth, in many species of lizards clearly reject the ubiquity of indeterminate growth in reptiles and raise the question about the ancestral state of the growth pattern. Using X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT), here we examined GPCs of long bones in three basally branching clades of squamate reptiles, namely in Gekkota, Scincoidea and Lacertoidea. A complete loss of GPC, indicating skeletal growth arrest, was the predominant finding. Using a dataset of 164 species representing all major clades of lizards and the tuataras, we traced the evolution of determinate growth on the phylogenetic tree of Lepidosauria. The reconstruction of character states suggests that determinate growth is ancestral for the squamate reptiles (Squamata) and remains common in the majority of lizard lineages, while extended (potentially indeterminate) adult growth evolved several times within squamates. Although traditionally associated with endotherms, determinate growth is coupled with ectothermy in this lineage. These findings combined with existing literature suggest that determinate growth predominates in both extant and extinct amniotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Frýdlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 12844, Czech Republic.,Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Mrzílková
- Specialized Laboratory of Experimental Imaging, Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Institute of Technical and Applied Physics and Faculty of Bioengineering, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic.,Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Šeremeta
- Specialized Laboratory of Experimental Imaging, Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Institute of Technical and Applied Physics and Faculty of Bioengineering, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic.,Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Křemen
- Specialized Laboratory of Experimental Imaging, Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Institute of Technical and Applied Physics and Faculty of Bioengineering, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic.,Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dudák
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague 110 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Žemlička
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague 110 00, Czech Republic
| | - Bernd Minnich
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - Kristina Kverková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 12844, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Němec
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 12844, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Zach
- Specialized Laboratory of Experimental Imaging, Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Institute of Technical and Applied Physics and Faculty of Bioengineering, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic.,Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 100 00, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 12844, Czech Republic
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7
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Griffin CT, Stocker MR, Colleary C, Stefanic CM, Lessner EJ, Riegler M, Formoso K, Koeller K, Nesbitt SJ. Assessing ontogenetic maturity in extinct saurian reptiles. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:470-525. [PMID: 33289322 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Morphology forms the most fundamental level of data in vertebrate palaeontology because it is through interpretations of morphology that taxa are identified, creating the basis for broad evolutionary and palaeobiological hypotheses. Assessing maturity is one of the most basic aspects of morphological interpretation and provides the means to study the evolution of ontogenetic changes, population structure and palaeoecology, life-history strategies, and heterochrony along evolutionary lineages that would otherwise be lost to time. Saurian reptiles (the least-inclusive clade containing Lepidosauria and Archosauria) have remained an incredibly diverse, numerous, and disparate clade through their ~260-million-year history. Because of the great disparity in this group, assessing maturity of saurian reptiles is difficult, fraught with methodological and terminological ambiguity. We compiled a novel database of literature, assembling >900 individual instances of saurian maturity assessment, to examine critically how saurian maturity has been diagnosed. We review the often inexact and inconsistent terminology used in saurian maturity assessment (e.g. 'juvenile', 'mature') and provide routes for better clarity and cross-study coherence. We describe the various methods that have been used to assess maturity in every major saurian group, integrating data from both extant and extinct taxa to give a full account of the current state of the field and providing method-specific pitfalls, best practices, and fruitful directions for future research. We recommend that a new standard subsection, 'Ontogenetic Assessment', be added to the Systematic Palaeontology portions of descriptive studies to provide explicit ontogenetic diagnoses with clear criteria. Because the utility of different ontogenetic criteria is highly subclade dependent among saurians, even for widely used methods (e.g. neurocentral suture fusion), we recommend that phylogenetic context, preferably in the form of a phylogenetic bracket, be used to justify the use of a maturity assessment method. Different methods should be used in conjunction as independent lines of evidence when assessing maturity, instead of an ontogenetic diagnosis resting entirely on a single criterion, which is common in the literature. Critically, there is a need for data from extant taxa with well-represented growth series to be integrated with the fossil record to ground maturity assessments of extinct taxa in well-constrained, empirically tested methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Griffin
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
| | - Michelle R Stocker
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
| | - Caitlin Colleary
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
- Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, OH, 44106, U.S.A
| | - Candice M Stefanic
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, U.S.A
| | - Emily J Lessner
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, 1 Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO, 65212, U.S.A
| | - Mitchell Riegler
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, 241 Williamson Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611, U.S.A
| | - Kiersten Formoso
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, 3651 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, U.S.A
- Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 W Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90007, U.S.A
| | - Krista Koeller
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, 220 Bartram Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611, U.S.A
| | - Sterling J Nesbitt
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, U.S.A
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LaDage LD. Broadening the functional and evolutionary understanding of postnatal neurogenesis using reptilian models. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/15/jeb210542. [PMID: 32788272 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.210542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The production of new neurons in the brains of adult animals was first identified by Altman and Das in 1965, but it was not until the late 20th century when methods for visualizing new neuron production improved that there was a dramatic increase in research on neurogenesis in the adult brain. We now know that adult neurogenesis is a ubiquitous process that occurs across a wide range of taxonomic groups. This process has largely been studied in mammals; however, there are notable differences between mammals and other taxonomic groups in how, why and where new neuron production occurs. This Review will begin by describing the processes of adult neurogenesis in reptiles and identifying the similarities and differences in these processes between reptiles and model rodent species. Further, this Review underscores the importance of appreciating how wild-caught animals vary in neurogenic properties compared with laboratory-reared animals and how this can be used to broaden the functional and evolutionary understanding of why and how new neurons are produced in the adult brain. Studying variation in neural processes across taxonomic groups provides an evolutionary context to adult neurogenesis while also advancing our overall understanding of neurogenesis and brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara D LaDage
- Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Penn State Altoona, 3000 Ivyside Dr., Altoona, PA 16601, USA
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Frýdlová P, Mrzílková J, Šeremeta M, Křemen J, Dudák J, Žemlička J, Němec P, Velenský P, Moravec J, Koleška D, Zahradníčková V, Jirásek T, Kodym P, Frynta D, Zach P. Universality of indeterminate growth in lizards rejected: the micro-CT reveals contrasting timing of growth cartilage persistence in iguanas, agamas, and chameleons. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18913. [PMID: 31831851 PMCID: PMC6908584 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54573-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Squamate reptiles are considered to exhibit indeterminate growth. Nevertheless, current literature disputes the available definitions of this growth type, presents new theoretical models, and questions its universality in cold-blooded vertebrates. We have followed up on our previous research employing micro-CT to explore growth plate cartilage (GPC) in the epiphysis of long bones, which is responsible for longitudinal skeletal growth by the endochondral ossification process. We focused on numerous and highly diversified group of the Iguania clade comprising Acrodonta (agamas and chameleons) and Pleurodonta ("iguanas"). We recorded the absence of GPC in most of the examined adult Pleurodonta specimens and interpret it as an irreversible arrest of skeletal growth. This finding clearly rejects the universality of indeterminate growth in lizards. On the other hand, we found apparent GPC preservation in most of the adult specimens belonging to Acrodonta. This suggests a preserved ability to continue body growth throughout most of their life. We discuss the uncovered disparity between Acrodonta and Pleurodonta and emphasize the importance of GPC degradation timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Frýdlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, CZ-12844, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Mrzílková
- Specialized laboratory of experimental imaging, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Šeremeta
- Specialized laboratory of experimental imaging, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Křemen
- Specialized laboratory of experimental imaging, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dudák
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, Husova 5, CZ-11000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Žemlička
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, Czech Technical University in Prague, Husova 5, CZ-11000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Němec
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, CZ-12844, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Velenský
- Prague Zoo, U Trojského Zámku 3, CZ-17100, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Moravec
- Department of Zoology, National Museum, Cirkusová 1740, CZ-19300, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Koleška
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, CZ-16500, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Zahradníčková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, CZ-12844, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Jirásek
- Zoological and Botanical Garden Pilsen, Pod Vinicemi 9, CZ-30116, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kodym
- National Institute of Public Health, Šrobárova 48, CZ-10042, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, CZ-12844, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Petr Zach
- Specialized laboratory of experimental imaging, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 2411/87, CZ-10000, Prague, Czech Republic
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Sabater González M. Skeletal Cartilage and Bone Formation, Composition, and Function in Small Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2019; 22:123-134. [PMID: 30872001 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Cartilage and bone are the main skeletal tissues in exotic vertebrates and are distinguished by their cells and the extracellular matrices they produce. Differences in cartilage and bone formation and growth exist among small mammals, birds, and reptiles. A basic knowledge of cartilage and bone formation, composition, and function in small mammals, birds, and reptiles commonly kept as pets, and the major differences observed among species, is necessary to correctly evaluate and treat cartilage and bone lesions in these groups of animals.
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Griffin CT, Bano LS, Turner AH, Smith ND, Irmis RB, Nesbitt SJ. Integrating gross morphology and bone histology to assess skeletal maturity in early dinosauromorphs: new insights from Dromomeron (Archosauria: Dinosauromorpha). PeerJ 2019; 7:e6331. [PMID: 30775169 PMCID: PMC6375289 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding growth patterns is central to properly interpreting paleobiological signals in tetrapods, but assessing skeletal maturity in some extinct clades may be difficult when growth patterns are poorly constrained by a lack of ontogenetic series. To overcome this difficulty in assessing the maturity of extinct archosaurian reptiles—crocodylians, birds and their extinct relatives—many studies employ bone histology to observe indicators of the developmental stage reached by a given individual. However, the relationship between gross morphological and histological indicators of maturity has not been examined in most archosaurian groups. In this study, we examined the gross morphology of a hypothesized growth series of Dromomeron romeri femora (96.6–144.4 mm long), the first series of a non-dinosauriform dinosauromorph available for such a study. We also histologically sampled several individuals in this growth series. Previous studies reported that D. romeri lacks well-developed rugose muscle scars that appear during ontogeny in closely related dinosauromorph taxa, so integrating gross morphology and histological signal is needed to determine reliable maturity indicators for early bird-line archosaurs. We found that, although there are small, linear scars indicating muscle attachment sites across the femur, the only rugose muscle scar that appears during ontogeny is the attachment of the M. caudofemoralis longus, and only in the largest-sampled individual. This individual is also the only femur with histological indicators that asymptotic size had been reached, although smaller individuals possess some signal of decreasing growth rates (e.g., decreasing vascular density). The overall femoral bone histology of D. romeri is similar to that of other early bird-line archosaurs (e.g., woven-bone tissue, moderately to well-vascularized, longitudinal vascular canals). All these data indicate that the lack of well-developed femoral scars is autapomorphic for this species, not simply an indication of skeletal immaturity. We found no evidence of the high intraspecific variation present in early dinosaurs and other dinosauriforms, but a limited sample size of other early bird-line archosaur growth series make this tentative. The evolutionary history and phylogenetic signal of gross morphological features must be considered when assessing maturity in extinct archosaurs and their close relatives, and in some groups corroboration with bone histology or with better-known morphological characters is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren S Bano
- Department of Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Alan H Turner
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Nathan D Smith
- The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Randall B Irmis
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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