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Osteoderms in a mammal the spiny mouse Acomys and the independent evolution of dermal armor. Project ID: 000524371 Public
9 Media · 5 Specimens · Creator: Edward Stanley · Managed by: Edward Stanley

Osteoderms are bony plates found in the skin of vertebrates, and are common in reptiles, amphibians and fish, where they have evolved independently multiple times, suggesting the presence of a gene regulatory network which is readily activated and inactivated. They are absent in birds and rarely found in mammals, with the notable exception of the famously armored Cingulata, which contains armadillos, pampatheres and glyptodonts. However we have discovered that in one subfamily of rodents, the Deomyinae, there are osteoderms in the skin of their tails. Osteoderm development begins in the proximal tail skin and is complete 6 weeks after birth. RNA sequencing has identified the gene networks involved in their differentiation. There is a widespread down-regulation of keratin genes and an up-regulation of osteoblast genes and a finely balanced expression of signaling pathways as the osteoderms differentiate. Future comparisons with reptilian osteoderms may allow us to understand how these structures have evolved and why they are so rare in mammals.

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  ID Part Object Taxonomy Type Date Added Publication Status  
000519114 Whole body AMNH:Mammals:M-50464 Deomys ferrugineus christyi Volumetric Image Series 2023-04-29 Open Download  
000527837 Whole body and osteoderms AMNH:Mammals:M-50464 Deomys ferrugineus christyi Mesh 2023-05-30 Open Download  
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