Publications by authors named "R S Prather"
A major concern of xenotransplantation is that donor organs may be a source of pathogens. One pathogen in particular, porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV), a porcine roseolovirus (PRV), is thought to result in donor organ failure in an immunosuppressed state. Porcine cytomegalovirus is difficult to detect in organ donor swine because of its ability to establish latency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * Twelve Oncopigs were injected with a gene-inducing virus through bronchoscopy, resulting in significant cancer development observed via CT scans and confirmed through various analysis methods.
- * The Oncopig model showed a high similarity in cancer gene expression patterns to human lung cancer, suggesting it could be a valuable tool for translating research findings into human clinical applications.
Article Synopsis
- Scientists have genetically modified pigs to have a condition called severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), which makes them have weak immune systems and shorter lifespans.
- These SCID pigs are useful for research on how the immune system works and can help study diseases.
- A new method was tested where the immune systems of SCID piglets were improved by transplanting fetal bone, leading to healthier pigs that lived longer and could grow normally, which is great for future studies.
Mutations in more than 50 different genes cause primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) by disrupting the activity of motile cilia that facilitate mucociliary transport (MCT). Knowledge of PCD has come from studies identifying disease-causing mutations, characterizing structural cilia abnormalities, finding genotype-phenotype relationships, and studying the cell biology of cilia. Despite these important findings, we still lack effective treatments and people with PCD have significant pulmonary impairment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- PSEN1 is a gene associated with early onset Alzheimer's, and its inactivation in mice leads to developmental issues like vertebral malformations, but its function in other species is less understood.
- The study aimed to investigate the role of PSEN1 in vertebral development and neurodegeneration using genetically modified pigs created with CRISPR/Cas9 targeting exon 9 of the PSEN1 gene.
- Results showed that pigs with a complete PSEN1 mutation died shortly after birth and had severe skeletal defects, while those with at least one functioning allele developed normally, indicating PSEN1’s importance in development and providing a new model for Alzheimer’s research.