Mammalian diversity: gametes, embryos and reproduction

Richard R. Behringer; Guy S. Eakin; Marilyn B. Renfree

doi:10.1071/RD05137

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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Mammalian diversity: gametes, embryos and reproduction

Richard R. Behringer ^A ^D , Guy S. Eakin ^A ^C and Marilyn B. Renfree ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

^B Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

^C Present address: Program in Developmental Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.

^D Corresponding author. Email: rrb@mdanderson.org

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 18(2) 99-107 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD05137
Submitted: 14 October 2005 Accepted: 14 October 2005 Published: 14 December 2006

Abstract

The class Mammalia is composed of approximately 4800 extant species. These mammalian species are divided into three subclasses that include the monotremes, marsupials and eutherians. Monotremes are remarkable because these mammals are born from eggs laid outside of the mother’s body. Marsupial mammals have relatively short gestation periods and give birth to highly altricial young that continue a significant amount of ‘fetal’ development after birth, supported by a highly sophisticated lactation. Less than 10% of mammalian species are monotremes or marsupials, so the great majority of mammals are grouped into the subclass Eutheria, including mouse and human. Mammals exhibit great variety in morphology, physiology and reproduction. In the present article, we highlight some of this remarkable diversity relative to the mouse, one of the most widely used mammalian model organisms, and human. This diversity creates challenges and opportunities for gamete and embryo collection, culture and transfer technologies.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Chris Cretekos, Marvin Meistrich, John Rasweiler and Geoff Shaw for helpful discussions. The authors also thank Peter Akinwunmi, Gordon Baker, Chris Cretekos, the late Mervyn Griffiths, Marvin Meistrich, David Parer, David Paul, Geoff Shaw and Peter Temple-Smith for the images. The authors’ work reported herein was supported by National Institutes of Health grant HD30284 and National Science Foundation grant IBN 0220458 to RRB.

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