ONTOGENETIC VARIATION OF AXIAL STABILITY IN DOLPHINS

海豚轴向稳定性的个体遗传变异

• 批准号: 6135357
• 负责人: SHELLEY A ETNIER
• 金额: $ 3.24万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-09-01 至
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6135357
• 关键词: Cetacea; biological models; biomechanics; body physical characteristic; bone development; connective tissue; developmental neurobiology; dorsal column; histology; musculoskeletal system; neuromuscular function; spinal cord; spine; ventral column

The stability of the mammalian axial skeleton is determined by the interaction of bony elements, connective tissues, and ligaments. This research project will examine axial stability and instability in a mammalian system that naturally exhibits both conditions. Specifically, this project will use a novel animal model, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), to investigate the role morphology plays in determining the mechanics of spinal instability. The axial skeletons of fetal and neonatal dolphins are characterized by extreme instability, which disappears in response to normal growth patterns after a few weeks. This project will document the changing stability of the dolphin backbone in conjunction with the morphological growth patterns that occur simultaneously. The stability of the dolphin axial skeleton will be determined used a combination of in vitro mechanical tests and in vivo kinematic methods. These data will be correlated with quantitative morphological data, both gross and histological, from a developmental series of bottlenose dolphins. Ultimately, this research proposal aims to identify the morphological features that contribute to structural stability in the developing mammalian backbone. The results from this study may shed light on casual factors associated with observed pathologies such as lumbar instability and idiopathic scoliosis, as well as identifying structures that protect the spinal cord from damage due to excessive deformations.

哺乳动物中轴骨骼的稳定性由骨元素、结缔组织和韧带的相互作用决定。 该研究项目将研究自然表现出这两种情况的哺乳动物系统中的轴向稳定性和不稳定性。 具体来说，该项目将使用一种新型动物模型——宽吻海豚（Tursiops truncatus），来研究形态学在确定脊柱不稳定性机制中的作用。 胎儿和新生海豚的中轴骨骼具有极度不稳定的特点，几周后这种不稳定就会随着正常生长模式而消失。 该项目将记录海豚脊柱稳定性的变化以及同时发生的形态生长模式。 海豚轴骨骼的稳定性将通过体外机械测试和体内运动学方法相结合来确定。 这些数据将与宽吻海豚发育系列的定量形态学数据（总体和组织学数据）相关联。 最终，这项研究计划旨在确定有助于发育中的哺乳动物脊柱结构稳定性的形态特征。 这项研究的结果可能有助于揭示与腰椎不稳定和特发性脊柱侧凸等病理学相关的偶然因素，并确定保护脊髓免受过度变形损伤的结构。