Opossum Development

Embryology - 22 Aug 2026        Expand to Translate
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Introduction

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

Some Recent Findings

Comparative gene expression analyses reveal heterochrony for Sox9 expression in the cranial neural crest during marsupial development "Compared to placental mammals, marsupials have short gestation period, and their neonates are relatively immature. Despite these features, marsupial neonates must travel from the birth canal to the teat, suckle and digest milk to complete development. Thus, certain organs and tissues of marsupial neonates, such as forelimbs to crawl and jaw elements to suckle, must develop early. Previous reports showed that cranial neural crest (CNC) cells, as the source of ectomesenchyme of jaw elements, are generated significantly early in gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) compared to other amniote models, such as mouse. In this study, we examined the expression of genes known to be important for neural crest formation, such as BMP2/BMP4 (neural crest inducer), Pax7 (neural border specifier), Snail1 and Sox9/Sox10 (neural crest specifier) in Monodelphis domestica, and compared the expression patterns with those in mouse, chicken, and gecko embryos. Among those genes, the expression of Sox9 was turned on early and broadly in the premigratory CNC cells, and persisted in the ectomesenchyme of the cranial anlagen in opossum embryos. In contrast, Sox9 expression diminished in the CNC cells of other animals at the early phase of migration. Comparison of the onset of Pax7 and Sox9 expression revealed that Sox9 expression in the prospective CNC was earlier and broader than Pax7 expression in opossum, suggesting that the sequence of border specification and neural crest specification is altered." 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."

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

Opossum List

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

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Articles

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Search PubMed

Search PubMed: Dromiciops gliroides | Opossum development | marsupial development

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2026, August 22) Embryology Opossum Development. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Opossum_Development

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© Dr Mark Hill 2026, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G