Opossum Development

Embryology - 2 Jun 2024        Expand to Translate
Google Translate - select your language from the list shown below (this will open a new external page)
العربية | català | 中文 | 中國傳統的 | français | Deutsche | עִברִית | हिंदी | bahasa Indonesia | italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | မြန်မာ | Pilipino | Polskie | português | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਦੇ | Română | русский | Español | Swahili | Svensk | ไทย | Türkçe | اردو | ייִדיש | Tiếng Việt    These external translations are automated and may not be accurate. (More? About Translations)

Introduction

The opossums () are a family of nocturnal semi-arboreal marsupials including the cuscuses, brushtail possums, and their close relatives.

Some Recent Findings

Developmental origins of precocial forelimbs in marsupial neonates "Marsupial mammals are born in an embryonic state, as compared with their eutherian counterparts, yet certain features are accelerated. The most conspicuous of these features are the precocial forelimbs, which the newborns use to climb unaided from the opening of the birth canal to the teat. The developmental mechanisms that produce this acceleration are unknown. Here we show that heterochronic and heterotopic changes early in limb development contribute to forelimb acceleration. Using Tbx5 and Tbx4 as fore- and hindlimb field markers, respectively, we have found that, compared with mouse, both limb fields arise notably early during opossum development." Expression of mRNAs encoding oestrogen receptor (ER) alpha and ERbeta, androgen receptor and progesterone receptor during gonadal and follicular development in the marsupial brushtail possum "Expression of ERalpha and/or ERbeta mRNA was observed from birth, initially in cells of the blastema, then in the medullary cords from Day 20. ERalpha was expressed in the oocytes and granulosa cells of secondary and antral follicles. Preovulatory follicles did not express ERalpha mRNA, although their oocytes were not examined for any gene. ERbeta mRNA was observed in oocytes at all follicular stages examined, but was not consistently observed in granulosa or theca cells. Expression of AR mRNA before Day 40 was very faint; thereafter, expression was observed in the medullary cords, peaking between Days 60 and 120. Oocytes, granulosa cells and theca of secondary and antral, but not preovulatory, follicles expressed AR mRNA. PR mRNA was expressed throughout the gonad by Day 20. Granulosa cells of some secondary and antral follicles and theca of antral follicles expressed PR mRNA."

More recent papers

This table allows an automated computer search of the external PubMed database using the listed "Search term" text link. This search now requires a manual link as the original PubMed extension has been disabled. The displayed list of references do not reflect any editorial selection of material based on content or relevance. References also appear on this list based upon the date of the actual page viewing. References listed on the rest of the content page and the associated discussion page (listed under the publication year sub-headings) do include some editorial selection based upon both relevance and availability. More? References | Discussion Page | Journal Searches | 2019 References | 2020 References Search term: Opossum Embryology <pubmed limit=5>Opossum Embryology</pubmed>

Taxon

Taxonomy ID:

Genbank common name: opossum

Rank: species

Genetic code: Translation table 1 (Standard)

Mitochondrial genetic code: Translation table 2 (Vertebrate Mitochondrial)

Lineage ( full )

Links: Taxonomy Browser Phalangeridae

Taxon Name	Common Name
Chacodelphys formosa	Chacoan pygmy opossum
Gracilinanus marica	northern gracile opossum
Marmosops juninensis	Junin slender opossum
Marmosops ojastii	Ojasti's slender mouse opossum
Marmosops ocellatus	spectacled slender opossum
Marmosops creightoni	Voss' slender opossum
Marmosops bishopi	Bishop's slender opossum
Marmosops fuscatus	dusky slender opossum
Cryptonanus guahybae	Guahiba gracile opossum
Monodelphis palliolata	hooded red-sided opossum
Monodelphis gardneri	Gardner's short-tailed opossum
Caenolestes convelatus	northern shew opossum
Caenolestes sangay	Sangay shrew opossum
Marmosops paulensis	Brazilian slender opossum
Philander opossum	fuscogriseus subspecies
Cryptosporidium sp.	apicomplexans
Didelphis pernigra	Andean white-eared opossum
Caluromys derbianus	Derby's woolly opossum
Monodelphis umbristriata	Red three-striped opossum
Monodelphis scalops	Long-nosed short-tailed opossum
Monodelphis sorex	Southern red-sided opossum
Monodelphis glirina	Amazonian red-sided opossum
Thylamys tatei	Tate's fat-tailed mouse opossum
Thylamys sponsorius	Argentine fat-tailed mouse opossum
Cryptosporidium sp.	oposapicomplexans
Micoureus constantiae	White-bellied woolly mouse opossum
Marmosa tyleriana	Tyleria mouse opossum
Marmosa xerophila	Guajira mouse opossum
Monodelphis americana	Northern three-striped opossum
Trichosurus cunninghami	Mountain brushtail opossum
Monodelphis iheringi	Ihering's three-striped opossum
Caenolestes caniventer	grey-bellied shrew opossum
Marmosops invictus	Panama slendeer opossum
Didelphis imperfecta	Guianan white-eared opossum
Thylamys velutinus	Dwarf fat-tailed mouse opossum
Marmosops handleyi	Handley's slender mouse opossum
Monodelphis osgoodi	Osgood's short-tailed opossum
Hyladelphys kalinowskii	Kalinowski's opossum
Gracilinanus aceramarcae	Aceramarca gracile mouse opossum
Gracilinanus emiliae	Emilia's gracile mouse opossum
Thylamys cinderella	Cinderella fat-tailed opossum
Micoureus paraguayanus	Tate's wolly mouse opossum
Tlacuatzin canescens	grayish mouse opossum
Philander frenatus	Southeastern four-eyed oppossum
Marmosops incanus	gray slender mouse opossum
Monodelphis theresa	Theresa's short-tailed opossum
Marmosa mexicana	Mexican mouse opossum
Marmosa andersoni	Anderson's mouse opossum
Monodelphis kunsi	Pygmy short-tailed Opossum
Monodelphis brevicaudata	Red-legged short-tailed Opossum
Thylamys pusillus	Common fat-tailed mouse opossum
Thylamys macrura	long-tailed fat-tailed opossum
Thylamys elegans	elegant fat-tailed opossum
Gracilinanus agilis	Agile Gracile Mouse Opossum
Thylamys pallidior	pallid fat-tailed opossum
Monodelphis emiliae	Emilia's short-tailed opossum
Marmosops parvidens	delicate slender mouse opossum
Marmosops noctivagus	white-bellied slender mouse opossum
Marmosa murina	murine mouse opossum
Marmosa lepida	little rufous mouse opossum
Lestodelphys halli	Patagonian opossum
Gracilinanus microtarsus	Brazilian gracile mouse opossum
Caluromysiops irrupta	black-shouldered opossum
Gnathostoma sp.	from P.
Chironectes minimus	water opossum
Marmosops dorothea	Dorothy's slender mouse opossum
Marmosa robinsoni	Robinson's mouse opossum
Didelphis aurita	big-eared opossum
Caluromys philander	bare-tailed woolly opossum
Lestoros inca	Incan shrew opossum
Philander opossum	Philander opossum
Monodelphis adusta	sepia short-tailed opossum
Metachirus nudicaudatus	brown four-eyed opossum
Marmosops impavidus	Andean slender mouse opossum
Micoureus regina	Short-furred woolly mouse opossum
Micoureus demerarae	long-furred woolly mouse opossum
Marmosa rubra	red mouse opossum
Didelphis albiventris	white-eared opossum
Glironia venusta	bushy-tailed opossum
Caluromys lanatus	western woolly opossum
Lutreolina crassicaudata	thick-tailed opossum
Caenolestes fuliginosus	silky shrew opossum
Rhyncholestes raphanurus	Chilean shrew opossum
Monodelphis domestica	gray short-tailed opossum
Philander opossum	gray four-eyed opossum
Didelphis marsupialis	southern opossum
Didelphis virginiana	North American opossum

System Development

The marsupial neonate at birth has a variation between the degree of development of different systems.

• well-developed - digestive, respiratory and circulatory system.
• not well-developed - retains fetal excretory system with a fully functional mesonephric kidney and undifferentiated gonads and genitalia.

Oocyte

Ovarian Follicle Development

Marsupial eggs are enclosed by a series of layers:

• zona pellucida, three zona proteins (ZPA, ZPB, ZPC)
  • • an additional extracellular matrix coat that lines the zona pellucida also occurs in some species.
• mucoid coat
• outer shell coat.

Links: Oocyte Development

Spermatozoa

Links: Spermatozoa Development

References

Reviews

<pubmed></pubmed> <pubmed></pubmed> <pubmed></pubmed>

Articles

<pubmed></pubmed> <pubmed></pubmed> <pubmed></pubmed>

Search PubMed

Search PubMed: Dromiciops gliroides | Opossum development | marsupial development

External Links

External Links Notice - The dynamic nature of the internet may mean that some of these listed links may no longer function. If the link no longer works search the web with the link text or name. Links to any external commercial sites are provided for information purposes only and should never be considered an endorsement. UNSW Embryology is provided as an educational resource with no clinical information or commercial affiliation.

Glossary Links

Glossary: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Numbers | Symbols | Term Link

---

Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, June 2) Embryology Opossum Development. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Opossum_Development

What Links Here?

© Dr Mark Hill 2024, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G