Gray Short-tailed Opossum 5138198 215581869 2008-05-28T20:52:10Z DOI bot 6652755 Citation maintenance. You can [[WP:DOI|use this bot]] yourself! Please [[User:DOI_bot/bugs|report any bugs]]. {{Taxobox | name = Gray Short-tailed Opossum<ref name=MSW>{{MSW3 Gardner|pages=14}}</ref> | status = LR/lc | status_system = iucn2.3 | status_ref = <ref>{{IUCN2006|assessors=New World Marsupial Specialist Group|year=1996|id=40514|title=Monodelphis domestica|downloaded=12 May 2006}} </ref> | image = Monodelphis_domestica.jpg | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Didelphimorphia]] | familia = [[Didelphidae]] | subfamilia = [[Didelphinae]] | genus = ''[[Monodelphis]]'' | species = '''''M. domestica''''' | binomial = ''Monodelphis domestica'' | binomial_authority = ([[Johann Andreas Wagner|Wagner]], 1842) }} The '''Gray Short-tailed Opossum''' (''Monodelphis domestica'') is a small member of the [[Didelphidae]] [[family (biology)|family]] of opossums. It was the first [[marsupial]] to have its genome sequenced. It is naturally found in arboreal habitats in [[Bolivia]], [[Brazil]] and [[Paraguay]]. The opossum is used as [[model organism|research model]] in science<ref name=sfbr>{{cite web | url = http://www.sfbr.org/pages/about_resources5.php | title = Extraordinary Resources: The Laboratory Opossum | work = [[SFBR]] | accessdate = 2007-04-13}}</ref>, and is also frequently found in the [[exotic pet]] trade. It is also known as the '''Brazilian Opossum''', '''Rainforest Opossum''' and in a research setting the '''Laboratory Opossum'''. ==Laboratory Opossum== The gray short-tailed opossum possesses several features that make in ideal [[model organism|research model]] particularly in studies of [[marsupial]]s, as well as the [[immunology|immunological]] and developmental research on [[mammal]]ian systems. It breeds relatively easily in laboratory settings and neonates are exposed and can be readily accessed because, unlike other marsupial species, females opossums lack a [[Pouch (marsupial)|pouch]]: neonates simply cling to the teats. Opossums are born at a stage that is approximately equivalent to 13-15-day old fetal [[rat]]s or 40-day old human [[embryo]]s. Like other marsupials, the inadequacies of the neonates immune system function make it an ideal model for both [[organ transplant|transplant]] and [[oncology|cancer research]], as well as general investigations into [[immune system]] development<ref> {{cite journal | author = Wang Z | coauthors = Hubbard GB, Pathak S, and VandeBerg JL| year = 2003 | month = October | title = ''In vivo'' opossum xenograft model for cancer research | journal = Cancer Research | volume = 63 | pages = 6121–6124 | pmid = 14559788 | url= http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/63/19/6121}} </ref>. Its [[genome]] was sequenced and a working draft published in May 2007:<ref> {{cite journal | author = Mikkelsen TJ et al. | year = 2007 | month = May| title = Genome of the marsupial ''Monodelphis domestica reveals innovation in non-coding sequences'' | journal = Nature | volume = 447 | pages = 167–177 | pmid = | url= http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7141/full/nature05805.html| doi = 10.1038/nature05805}}</ref> the decoding work, directed by [[MIT]] and [[Harvard]], reveals the opossum to have between 18,000 and 20,000 [[protein-coding genes]]. ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == *[http://www.knowyoursto.com/ Know Your STO (Short-tailed Opossums)], pet care website by Molly Kalafut {{Didelphimorphia|D.1}} [[Category:Opossums]] [[Category:Mammals of South America]] [[Category:Mammals of Brazil]] [[Category:Fauna of Paraguay]] [[Category:Model organisms]] [[de:Spitzmausbeutelratten]] [[mt:Opossum ta' denbu qasir griż]] [[pl:Opos krótkoogonowy]]