A large variety of infectious diseases, neoplastic changes and other afflictions are summarized by Kohn & Barthold (1984). That chapter needs to be consulted for details. Padmanabhan et al. (1988) induced diabetes in Wistar rat and found growth restriction, gastroschisis, maxillary hypoplasia, exencephaly and cardiac malformation in the pups. The unusually large placentas had cystic changes and a variety of other histopathologic changes that could be prevented with insulin treatment. Kennedy & Persaud (1977) found that amniocentesis in rats on day 16 caused a variety of rapid degenerative changes in the fetuses.
16) Physiologic data
Disappointed by the absence of detailed information, deRijk et al. (2002) have described in precise details the hematologic findings, clotting features and other aspects of rat placentation as well as the general physiologic changes occurring during pregnancy. Another large review of many physiologic features is by Kohn & Barthold (1984). Wang et al. (2002) deduced from their study of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR) and the 9-cis retinoic acid receptor (RXR) isoforms in the labyrinth their contribution to the transfer of the regulation of fatty acid metabolism and transport.
A model of spontaneous hypertension in pregnancy was studied in a special strain of rats by Sharkey et al. (2001). This assumes importance because of the prevalence for this common human gestational complication. Although no structural changes were observed as a result of the hypertension in fetal organs or placenta, several physiological changes occurred that simulated human pre-eclampsia. L-arginine administration to the drinking water prevented hypertension, especially in the third trimester. Wlodek et al. (2001) further studied this model by embryo transfers and found fetal growth restriction and deficiency of amnionic fluid. They were thus able to attribute this to fetal, rather than maternal influences.
The receptor for pituitary adenyl cyclase polypeptide (PACAP) was expressed initially in the decidua and later in chorionic blood vessels and also in villous stromal cells, suggesting that it has an important regulatory function (Koh et al., 2003).
Senut et al. (1998) injected genetically altered rat and human cells into the placental disks of pregnant rats to study possible gene transfer. Many abortions occurred when injections were done before day 16, but at later gestation, the embryos and placental grafts survived. They showed that hGH-secreting cells delivered their product into the fetal circulation.
17) Other resources
Numerous cell lines of various tumors and modified cell types are available for different rat strains. Some, for instance, are available by logging on to "RIKEN" and searching their cell/animal catalogue.
Acknowledgement
I am most appreciative to Dr. Michael Oldstone of Scripps Institution for Research in La Jolla and to Drs. A. & N. Varki.
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