Wild and indigenous native animals as potential laboratory animals

Professorial Chair Lecture

UPLB Faculty, Staff and Students Diamond Jubilee Professorial Chair Lecture

Place

UPLB College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Pathology and Public Health

Abstract

In today's high-tech world of scientific experiment and research the use of laboratory animals in scientific investigation will never be replaced by the most advanced computer. Most laboratory animals being used at present originated from wild ancestors. The rodents are the most popular among laboratory animals represented by the ubiquitous laboratory white mouse. Another group is the insectivore which is represented by the musk shrew. A new group which contributed to preventive medical science is the edentate represented by the armadillo. The controversy as to the origin of the laboratory mouse has been resolved by a comprehensive research on its biochemical markers and DNA analysis. It is now accepted that the laboratory mouse has its origin from the Orient. The wild ancestor of the laboratory mouse, particularly the Nus ausculus mollosinus and N. a. castaneus are now being

used to study oneogenesis of retrovirus (Mouse Leukemia Virus), behavioral mutation, and morphological anomalies. In the insectivore group, the common house musk shrew of tropical Asia, Suncus aurinus is now being used to study dental caries in humans, skin tumor, osteogenesis and unique coat-color and behavioral mutations.

The difficult production of leprin from Hycobacterium lepri has been facilitated with the use of the Armadillo (Tolypeutes sp.) as the laboratory animal of choice. This animal is also used in twinning studies because of its unique reproductive ability to produce monozygotic individuals at every parturition.

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section

Call Number

Sp. Col.

Pages/Collation

14 leaves

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