Computer design revealing Osteoderms on the spiny mouse. Credit: Edward Stanley.
In a new study, researchers at the University of Florida have actually discovered that spiny mice– known for their stiff guard hair that gives them their name– sport bony plates, or osteoderms, listed below the skin of their tails. While not uncommon in reptiles, the existence of osteoderms in mammals has actually been mainly limited to armadillos, making this discovery noteworthy.
When again, nature reminds us that she is full of surprises. While these rodents from the Acomys genus may initially look like the house mice (genus Mus) were familiar with, a better look unveils a fascinating quality.
A serendipitous discovery
” As we learn more about the regulative genes that change keratin off and osteoblasts on in the dermis,” Maden describes, “we hope to eventually create an armor-plated lab mouse.”
Before this revelation, armadillos held the title of the only living mammal understood to have osteoderms. Imagine these bony shields as an exclusive badge of honor within the mammalian world. Today, our spiny mouse buddies are crashing the celebration.
This chance encounter fired up a trigger of clinical intrigue. Quickly, Stanley was scanning other close loved ones, revealing comparable osteoderms in 3 other sub-family genera.
Additional research showed that osteoderm development in spiny mouse tails starts in the proximal tail skin about six weeks after birth. Using RNA sequencing, Madens group had the ability to determine the genes and gene networks included in osteoderm development. This process involves the downregulation of keratin genes and the activation of osteoblast genes.
Geared up with this understanding, the group can now dig into the mysteries of why and how these unique structures appear. Spiny mice can be studied in ways that the majority of other animals cant, using a brand-new lens into the intricacies of advancement.
Eastern spiny mouse (Acomys dimidiatus). Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Osteoderms are specialized structures that sit deep within the skins lower dermis layer. “Theyre made from bone,” specifies Malcolm Maden, a scientist from the University of Florida. Unlike the keratin-based structures that form the scales of numerous animals, such as on pangolins or the feet of birds, osteoderms supply a special form of internal security.
” I had actually offered Ed a few of my spiny mice to scan as part of his task, and they had very rare bony plates in the skin of their tails,” Maden remembered.
The findings appeared in the journal iScience.
This discovery came about during a substantial job by co-author Edward Stanley, which included CT scanning numerous museum specimens from throughout the United States. Stanley stumbled upon a spiny mouse with osteoderms while analyzing specimens supplied by Maden, which took everybody aback.
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More research study revealed that osteoderm advancement in spiny mouse tails starts in the proximal tail skin about 6 weeks after birth. Utilizing RNA sequencing, Madens team was able to identify the genes and gene networks included in osteoderm development. Now, our spiny mouse buddies are crashing the party.
Osteoderms are specialized structures that sit deep within the skins lower dermis layer. Unlike the keratin-based structures that form the scales of numerous animals, such as on pangolins or the feet of birds, osteoderms offer a special type of internal protection.