Production of marmoset eggs and embryos from xenotransplanted ovary tissues.

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has attracted attention as a valuable primate model for the analysis of human diseases. Despite the potential for primate genetic modification, however, its widespread lab usage has been limited due to the requirement for a large number of eggs. To make up for traditional oocyte retrieval methods such as hormone administration and surgical techniques, we carried out an alternative approach by utilizing ovarian tissue from deceased marmosets that had been disposed of.

Mental construction of object symbols from meaningless elements by Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).

When writing an object's name, humans mentally construct its spelling. This capacity critically depends on use of the dual-structured linguistic system, in which meaningful words are represented by combinations of meaningless letters. Here we search for the evolutionary origin of this capacity in primates by designing dual-structured bigram symbol systems where different combinations of meaningless elements represent different objects.

The Wnt/planar cell polarity pathway component Vangl2 induces synapse formation through direct control of N-cadherin.

Although regulators of the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway are widely expressed in vertebrate nervous systems, their roles at synapses are unknown. Here, we show that Vangl2 is a postsynaptic factor crucial for synaptogenesis and that it coprecipitates with N-cadherin and PSD-95 from synapse-rich brain extracts. Vangl2 directly binds N-cadherin and enhances its internalization in a Rab5-dependent manner.

Effects of desalted deep seawater on hematologic and blood chemical values in mice.

Various processed foods and beverages have been manufactured using deep seawater (DSW), desalted DSW (dDSW), and concentrated DSW in Japan. To confirm the safety of dDSW, we investigated hematologic and blood chemical effects of dDSW in mice. The dDSW and desalted surface seawater (dSSW) were diluted to 6.

Newly established low seizure susceptible and seizure-prone inbred strains of Mongolian gerbil.

Two inbred strains of the Mongolian gerbil with different phenotypes in seizure behaviour and coat color were newly established. LSAG/Nu has low seizure susceptibility and albino phenotypes, whereas SPBG/Nu has seizure-prone and black coat color phenotypes. LSAG was compared with SPBG as to seizure incidence and grade.