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Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

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The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
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Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
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Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the...
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Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
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The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from...
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Cell division is necessary for growth and reproduction in organisms. Mitosis aids cell growth and development by dividing somatic cells. In contrast, meiosis causes the division of germ cells and plays an essential role in sexual reproduction. Due to their unique functional requirements, mitosis and meiosis differ from each other in multiple aspects.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
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Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

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Is preterm birth a human-specific syndrome?

Julie Baker Phillips1, Patrick Abbot1, Antonis Rokas2

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B 35-1364, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.

Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health
|June 17, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Preterm birth (PTB) occurs in all mammals, but severe cognitive impairments following premature birth appear unique to humans. This suggests PTB

Keywords:
allometryfitnessgestation lengthprematurity

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Area of Science:

  • Comparative biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Evolutionary medicine

Background:

  • Human preterm birth (PTB) is a major cause of newborn mortality.
  • The prevalence and impact of PTB in other placental mammals are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if PTB is a human-specific condition.
  • To examine variations in gestation length and the effects of early parturition on offspring fitness across placental mammals.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of gestation length variation within and between placental mammal species.
  • Evaluation of the impact of early parturition on offspring fitness.

Main Results:

  • Gestation length is normally distributed within species, with occasional early births observed across all species.
  • Human gestation length scales with body mass, similar to other mammals.
  • Cognitive impairments associated with PTB appear to be a significant issue primarily in humans, potentially due to the overlap of brain growth spurts with the parturition window.

Conclusions:

  • While early parturition is common in mammals, the severe fitness costs, particularly cognitive impairments, may be unique to humans.
  • Comparative studies in mammals can illuminate the regulation of birth timing and inform models for human PTB.