- Home
- A-Z Publications
- Annual Review of Animal Biosciences
- Previous Issues
- Volume 10, 2022
Annual Review of Animal Biosciences - Volume 10, 2022
Volume 10, 2022
-
-
Dog Models of Aging
Vol. 10 (2022), pp. 419–439More LessAs the most phenotypically diverse mammalian species that shares human environments and access to sophisticated healthcare, domestic dogs have unique potential to inform our understanding of the determinants of aging. Here we outline key concepts in the study of aging and illustrate the value of research with dogs, which can improve dog health and support translational discoveries. We consider similarities and differences in aging and age-related diseases in dogs and humans and summarize key advances in our understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors for morbidity and mortality in dogs. We address health outcomes ranging from cancer to cognitive function and highlight emerging research opportunities from large-scale cohort studies in companion dogs. We conclude that studying aging in dogs could overcome many limitations of laboratory models, most notably, the ability to assess how aging-associated pathways influence aging in real-world environments similar to those experienced by humans.
-
-
-
Nonhuman Primates in Translational Research
Vol. 10 (2022), pp. 441–468More LessNonhuman primates are critically important animal models in which to study complex human diseases, understand biological functions, and address the safety of new diagnostics and therapies proposed for human use. They have genetic, physiologic, immunologic, and developmental similarities when compared to humans and therefore provide important preclinical models of human health and disease. This review highlights select research areas that demonstrate the importance of nonhuman primates in translational research. These include pregnancy and developmental disorders, infectious diseases, gene therapy, somatic cell genome editing, and applications of in vivo imaging. The power of the immune system and our increasing understanding of the role it plays in acute and chronic illnesses are being leveraged to produce new treatments for a range of medical conditions. Given the importance of the human immune system in health and disease, detailed study of the immune system of nonhuman primates is essential to advance preclinical translational research. The need for nonhuman primates continues to remain a high priority, which has been acutely evident during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) global pandemic. Nonhuman primates will continue to address key questions and provide predictive models to identify the safety and efficiency of new diagnostics and therapies for human use across the lifespan.
-
-
-
Recent Progress in Spermatology Contributing to the Knowledge and Conservation of Rare and Endangered Species
Vol. 10 (2022), pp. 469–490More LessThere is a remarkable diversity in the animal kingdom regarding mechanisms underlying the production, maturation, structure, and function of sperm cells. Spermatology studies contribute to the knowledge of species diversity and also provide information about individual or population fitness. Furthermore, this fundamental research is required before collected spermatozoa can be used for conservation breeding, including assisted reproduction and cryobanking. This article aims to (a) review the most recent knowledge on sperm morphology and function in wild animal species, (b) analyze how this knowledge can be used to save species in their natural habitat or ex situ, and (c) propose future scientific directions in wildlife spermatology that could positively impact animal conservation. Variations in sperm structure and performance within and between species have multiple origins and significance. This collective body of knowledge enables the design and implementation of conservation strategies and action plans that integrate several disciplines.
-
-
-
Opportunities and Limitations for Reproductive Science in Species Conservation
Vol. 10 (2022), pp. 491–511More LessReproductive science in the context of conservation biology is often understood solely in terms of breeding threatened species. Although technologies developed primarily for agriculture or biomedicine have a potentially important role in species conservation, their effectiveness is limited if we regard the main objective of animal conservation as helping to support populations rather than to breed a small number of individuals. The global threats facing wild species include the consequences of climate change, population growth, urbanization, atmospheric and water pollution, and the release of chemicals into the environment, to cite but a few. Reproductive sciences provide important and often unexpected windows into many of these consequences, and our aim here is both to demonstrate the breadth of reproductive science and the importance of basic knowledge and to suggest where some of the insights might be useful in mitigating the problems.
-