Impacts of social isolation stress in safety learning and the structure of defensive behavior during a spatial-based learning task involving thermal threat.

Safety learning during threat and adversity is critical for behavioral adaptation, resiliency, and survival. Using a novel mouse paradigm involving thermal threat, we recently demonstrated that safety learning is highly susceptible to social isolation stress. Yet, our previous study primarily considered male mice and did not thoroughly scrutinize the relative impacts of stress on potentially distinct defensive mechanisms implemented by males and females during the thermal safety task.

Benchmarks defining high-quality sperm in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).

Background: Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are increasingly recognized as valuable nonhuman primates (NHPs) for biomedical research due to their small size and short reproductive cycle and lifespan relative to other NHP species. Maximizing the utility of captive research marmosets, including genetically manipulated animals, will require the use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) including manipulation, storage, and sharing of marmoset sperm. Here, we identify characteristics of high-quality semen samples and validate a simple method for selecting high-quality sperm.

An in vitro approach reveals molecular mechanisms underlying endocrine disruptor-induced epimutagenesis.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as bisphenol S (BPS) are xenobiotic compounds that can disrupt endocrine signaling due to steric similarities to endogenous hormones. EDCs have been shown to induce disruptions in normal epigenetic programming (epimutations) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that predispose disease states. Most interestingly, the prevalence of epimutations following exposure to many EDCs persists over multiple generations.

Endocrine disruptor-induced epimutagenesis : Insight into molecular mechanisms.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as bisphenol S (BPS) are xenobiotic compounds that can disrupt endocrine signaling following exposure due to steric similarities to endogenous hormones within the body. EDCs have been shown to induce disruptions in normal epigenetic programming (epimutations) that accompany dysregulation of normal gene expression patterns that appear to predispose disease states. Most interestingly, the prevalence of epimutations following exposure to many different EDCs often persists over multiple subsequent generations, even with no further exposure to the causative EDC.