Mitochondria are organelles inside our cells that are essential for generating metabolic energy in the form of ATP. It is thought that these organelles originally came from aerobic bacteria that were ingested by the first eukaryotic cells. In fact, mitochondria have their very own DNA. Cells that have higher energy needs, like those in the brain and heart, contain more mitochondria. When cells die, mitochondrial DNA can end up […]
Life at high altitude presents unique physiological challenges for organisms that were explored in a recent review published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. For placental mammals, offspring born at high altitude (>2500 m above sea level) typically weigh less at birth compared to lowland animals. Fetal growth restriction is problematic as it is associated with long-term health risks and reduced survival. It is […]
I read an interesting review published in Physiology that examined how sperm from different species are especially evolved to help promote fertilization, which if successful, results in the creation of an offspring. It is simply amazing to think of the multitude of ways this process occurs in nature. Take marine invertebrates and fish for example. These animals release eggs and sperm into the water. In contrast, fertilization happens internally in […]
Molly Simonis and colleagues from Wright State University and Ohio University presented interesting research at the 34th annual Ohio Physiological Society conference on their work looking at the physiological effects of exposure to white-nose syndrome. White-nose syndrome is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans and has been blamed for killing millions of bats in North America. This new study seeks to examine whether pregnant female Eptesicus fuscus bats, a species less susceptible to […]
The Editor’s Picks for 2018 have been released for the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. According to the editorial team, the focus of this journal is on “the regulation of whole organismal function that requires the interplay of multiple organ and tissue systems.” The top comparative physiology articles of 2018 included: An article by Hersh et al., who provided evidence that little skates may be useful […]
A new study published in Physiological Reports provides evidence that a mother’s diet during pregnancy could have lasting impacts on her offspring’s bone development and later risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is characterized by a loss of trabecular (spongy) bone leading to increased risk for developing bone fractures. The researchers discovered this relationship while studying female microswine that were consuming a diet containing only 1% protein late in their pregnancy and for […]
A new study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, explored how restricted growth of a fetus during pregnancy can lead to insulin resistance later in life. They studied this risk factor in guinea pigs as larger litter sizes are known to restrict the growth of developing fetuses. Findings from the study showed that neonatal guinea pigs grow rapidly after birth to compensate for […]
The growth and development of a human fetus is difficult to study, both practically and ethically, as I am sure you can imagine. A new review article published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology explored how sheep have helped solve this problem as fetal sheep share similar brain, lung and cardiac development and placental physiology with humans, many aspects of which differ from […]
Orthologs are genes present in different species that evolved from a common ancestor. While studies have shown the existence of orthologous genes and proteins in C elegans that are associated with diseases in humans, a new study published in Physiological Genomics examined this question as it relates to reproduction. In the new study, researchers identified a whopping 504 genes in C elegans that have yet to be associated with reproduction in humans whereas […]
Research has shown that high fat diets ingested during pregnancy can impair development of the fetus as well as the placenta. The problem is that these perturbations to normal development can have life-long consequences. A new study published in Physiological Reports was interested in whether the volume of amniotic fluid can change with a high fat diet even when the mother does not develop obesity. To examine this, […]
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 