Abstract
Although certain organisms are chosen and employed to better understand a specific problem in biology (so-called model organisms), sometimes an animal model reveals its' biomedical importance by happenstance. In many ways, the advent of spiny mice (Acomys) as an emerging model to study regeneration and menstruation stands as a case study in scientific pseudoserendipity (Diaz de Chumaceiro, 1995). As we recount in this chapter, the discovery of these phenotypes, while not entirely accidental, was nonetheless unexpected. In addition to recounting how we uncovered these unusual mammalian traits, we outline recent work by our groups and others that has begun to outline the cellular and genetic mechanisms underlying bonafide mammalian tissue regeneration and a human-like mode of reproduction in spiny mice.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Emerging Model Systems in Developmental Biology |
| Editors | Bob Goldstein, Mansi Srivastava |
| Pages | 659-707 |
| Number of pages | 49 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2022 |
Publication series
| Name | Current Topics in Developmental Biology |
|---|---|
| Volume | 147 |
| ISSN (Print) | 0070-2153 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 Elsevier Inc.
Funding
Beyond those named in this chapter, Dr. Seifert would like to acknowledge the tireless work of several Kenyan field assistants, namely, James Ekiru Erkaran who was instrumental in trapping and site scouting in the early development of the regenerative biology work. Also, Stanley Marete in the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Nairobi who has maintained ongoing colonies of A. kempi and A. percivali and the staff and scientists at Mpala Research Centre. Greg Schultz for his mentorship in all things wound healing. Vanessa Ezenwa has been an amazing collaborator on the ecoimmunological aspects of spiny mice and continues to participate as part of our community. Thomas Gawriluk worked tirelessly in the field and back in the States to advance the spiny mouse model at the University of Kentucky. He also conducted the first reproductive biology studies in the Kentucky colony. Lastly, spiny mouse work in Dr. Seifert's lab has been generously supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Office for International Science and Engineering (OISE) (IOS-1353713), the National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) (R01 AR070313), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) (R21 DE028070) and a Grants-in-Aid of Research from the National Geographic Society. Dr. Temple-Smith acknowledges David Walker, Stacey Ellery and the many researchers and students who, through their interest, enthusiasm and long hours in their laboratories, have provided the solid foundation on reproduction and development of spiny mice in the Monash colony that forms the basis of this chapter. Special thanks to Haley Dickinson for the productive collaborations on spiny mouse reproduction during her time at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research; Jared Mamrot for advancing our knowledge on embryo development in the spiny mouse and for permission to use (Fig. 8A and B) from his PhD thesis; Nadia Bellofiore for the fascinating discoveries, during her graduate research, of menstruation, premenstrual tension syndrome and absence of pseudo-pregnancy in the spiny mouse; Evgenia George for her detailed research findings on the spiny mouse ovarian reserve and who, with Nadia, demonstrated the spiny mouse transition-to-menopause; Jarrod McKenna for his detailed and important work on sperm cryopreservation, mating behavior and post-partum reproduction. I also acknowledge the generous support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1171535\u2014The Spiny Mouse for Screening Contraceptive), the Pharmaceuticals Research and Development branch at Bayer AG Germany, the Monash University Education Program in Reproduction and Development and the Monash Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. We would like to acknowledge those researchers that have pursued work with spiny mice in the past, often at great challenge. We would also like to thank the growing community of spiny mouse researchers that are committed to open science and that generously share information with each other about ongoing and future projects that facilitate our general understanding about these extraordinary rodents. Beyond those named in this chapter, Dr. Seifert would like to acknowledge the tireless work of several Kenyan field assistants, namely, James Ekiru Erkaran who was instrumental in trapping and site scouting in the early development of the regenerative biology work. Also, Stanley Marete in the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Nairobi who has maintained ongoing colonies of A. kempi and A. percivali and the staff and scientists at Mpala Research Centre. Greg Schultz for his mentorship in all things wound healing. Vanessa Ezenwa has been an amazing collaborator on the ecoimmunological aspects of spiny mice and continues to participate as part of our community. Thomas Gawriluk worked tirelessly in the field and back in the States to advance the spiny mouse model at the University of Kentucky. He also conducted the first reproductive biology studies in the Kentucky colony. Lastly, spiny mouse work in Dr. Seifert's lab has been generously supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Office for International Science and Engineering (OISE) (IOS-1353713), the National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) (R01 AR070313), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) (R21 DE028070) and a Grants-in-Aid of Research from the National Geographic Society. Dr. Temple-Smith acknowledges David Walker, Stacey Ellery and the many researchers and students who, through their interest, enthusiasm and long hours in their laboratories, have provided the solid foundation on reproduction and development of spiny mice in the Monash colony that forms the basis of this chapter. Special thanks to Haley Dickinson for the productive collaborations on spiny mouse reproduction during her time at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research; Jared Mamrot for advancing our knowledge on embryo development in the spiny mouse and for permission to use (Fig. 8A and B) from his PhD thesis; Nadia Bellofiore for the fascinating discoveries, during her graduate research, of menstruation, premenstrual tension syndrome and absence of pseudo-pregnancy in the spiny mouse; Evgenia George for her detailed research findings on the spiny mouse ovarian reserve and who, with Nadia, demonstrated the spiny mouse transition-to-menopause; Jarrod McKenna for his detailed and important work on sperm cryopreservation, mating behavior and post-partum reproduction. I also acknowledge the generous support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1171535\u2014The Spiny Mouse for Screening Contraceptive), the Pharmaceuticals Research and Development branch at Bayer AG Germany, the Monash University Education Program in Reproduction and Development and the Monash Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| National Geographic Society | |
| National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program | |
| Monash Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
| Hudson Institute of Medical Research | |
| Pharmaceuticals Research and Development branch at Bayer AG | |
| Monash University Education Program in Reproduction and Development | |
| Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Nairobi | |
| solid foundation on reproduction and development of spiny mice in the Monash | |
| Office of International Science and Engineering | IOS-1353713 |
| National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases | R01 AR070313 |
| National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research | R21 DE028070 |
| Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation | OPP1171535 |
Keywords
- Acomys
- Ear pinna
- Endometrium
- Menstruation
- Regeneration
- Reproduction
- Skin
- Spiny mouse
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology