In mammals, neurogenesis occurs during both embryonic and postnatal development. In
eutherians, most brain structures develop embryonically; conversely, in marsupials, a …

This Element presents a philosophical exploration of the concept of the'model organism'in
contemporary biology. Thinking about model organisms enables us to examine how living …

Background We present the genome sequence of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii,
which is a member of the kangaroo family and the first representative of the iconic hop** …

Studying the similarities and differences in genomic interactions between species provides
fertile grounds for determining the evolutionary dynamics underpinning genome function …

Background This study assessed the gender-specific influence of the cholesteryl ester
transfer protein (TaqIB, I405V) and lipoprotein lipase (S447X) polymorphisms on the …

Background Interferon inducible transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) have diverse roles,
including the control of cell proliferation, promotion of homotypic cell adhesion, protection …

Abstract DDX4 (VASA) is an RNA helicase expressed in the germ cells of all animals. To
gain greater insight into the role of this gene in mammalian germ cell development, we …

Early cell lineage specification in eutherian mammals results in the formation of a pluripotent
inner cell mass (ICM) and trophoblast. By contrast, marsupials have no ICM. Here, we …

Female laboratory opossums of some genetic stocks can reach sexual maturity as early as
five months of age, and males achieve sexual maturity two to three weeks later …

Marsupials are “alternative mammals” that differ from eutherians most spectacularly in their
mode of reproduction and sexual differentiation. They represent a 160-million-year-old …