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Existence and features of the myodural bridge in Gentoo penguins: A morphological study.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies have evidenced that the anatomical structure now known as the myodural bridge (MDB) connects the suboccipital musculature to the cervical spinal dura mater (SDM). In humans, the MDB passes through both the posterior atlanto-occipital and the posterior atlanto-axial interspaces. The existence of the MDB in various mammals, including flying birds (Rock pigeons and Gallus domesticus) has been previously validated. Gentoo penguins are marine birds, able to make 450 dives per day, reaching depths of up to 660 feet. While foraging, this penguin is able to reach speeds of up to 22 miles per hour. Gentoo penguins are also the world's fastest diving birds. The present study was therefore carried out to investigate the existence and characteristics of the MDB in Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), a non-flying, marine bird that can dive. For this study, six Gentoo penguin specimens were dissected to observe the existence and composition of their MDB. Histological staining was also performed to analyze the anatomic relationships and characteristic of the MDB in the Gentoo penguin. In this study, it was found that the suboccipital musculature in the Gentoo penguin consists of the rectus capitis dorsalis minor (RCDmi) muscle and rectus capitis dorsalis major (RCDma) muscle. Dense connective tissue fibers were observed connecting these two suboccipital muscles to the spinal dura mater (SDM). This dense connective tissue bridge consists of primarily type I collagen fibers. Thus, this penguin's MDB appears to be analogous to the MDB previously observed in humans. The present study evidences that the MDB not only exists in penguins but it also has unique features that distinguishes it from that of flying birds. Thus, this study advances the understanding of the morphological characteristics of the MDB in flightless, marine birds.

SUBMITTER: Chen C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8031436 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:IntroductionThe study explores the indirect impact of climate change driven by gentoo's penguin colonization pressure on the microbial communities of moss banks formed by Tall moss turf subformation in central maritime Antarctica.MethodsMicrobial communities and chemical composition of the differently affected moss banks (Unaffected, Impacted and Desolated) located on Galindez Island and Сape Tuxen on the mainland of Kyiv Peninsula were analyzed.ResultsThe native microbiota of the moss banks' peat was analyzed for the first time, revealing a predominant presence of Acidobacteria (32.2 ± 14.4%), followed by Actinobacteria (15.1 ± 4.0%) and Alphaproteobacteria (9.7 ± 4.1%). Penguin colonization and subsequent desolation of moss banks resulted in an increase in peat pH (from 4.7 ± 0.05 to 7.2 ± 0.6) and elevated concentrations of soluble nitrogen (from 1.8 ± 0.4 to 46.9 ± 2.1 DIN, mg/kg) and soluble phosphorus compounds (from 3.6 ± 2.6 to 20.0 ± 1.8 DIP, mg/kg). The contrasting composition of peat and penguin feces led to the elimination of the initial peat microbiota, with an increase in Betaproteobacteria (from 1.3 ± 0.8% to 30.5 ± 23%) and Bacteroidota (from 5.5 ± 3.7% to 19.0 ± 3.7%) proportional to the intensity of penguins' impact, accompanied by a decrease in community diversity. Microbial taxa associated with birds' guts, such as Gottschalkia and Tissierella, emerged in Impacted and Desolated moss banks, along with bacteria likely benefiting from eutrophication. The changes in the functional capacity of the penguin-affected peat microbial communities were also detected. The nitrogen-cycling genes that regulate the conversion of urea into ammonia, nitrite oxide, and nitrate oxide (ureC, amoA, nirS, nosZ, nxrB) had elevated copy numbers in the affected peat. Desolated peat samples exhibit the highest nitrogen-cycle gene numbers, significantly differing from Unaffected peat (p < 0.05).DiscussionThe expansion of gentoo penguins induced by climate change led to the replacement of acidophilic microbiomes associated with moss banks, shaping a new microbial community influenced by penguin guano's chemical and microbial composition.

Project description:PurposePathological fibrosis of the myodural bridge (MDB) affects cerebrospinal fluid circulation. However, no optimal drug treatments are available. We aimed to explore the antifibrotic effect of resveratrol on bleomycin-induced pathological fibrosis of the MDB and its underlying mechanisms.MethodsGenes common to the potential targets of resveratrol were determined using network pharmacology, genes related to muscle and tendon fibrosis were acquired from the GeneCards database, and genes related to MDB development were determined using Venny. These genes were considered potential resveratrol treatment targets in bleomycin-induced pathological fibrosis of the MDB and were annotated using bioinformatics methods. We validated the intersected genes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and performed molecular docking analysis to calculate the binding activity between the target gene and resveratrol. Hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining were used to detect the morphological changes in bleomycin-induced fibrosis of the MDB following resveratrol treatment. We used qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of the sirtuin 3 (SIRT3)/transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad pathway and the profibrotic markers α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Collagen Ⅰ.ResultsThrough network pharmacology and bioinformatics analyses, we identified four core intersected genes, and SIRT3 expression was validated using qRT-PCR. Molecular docking analysis revealed that resveratrol had good binding affinity for SIRT3. Resveratrol ameliorated morphological abnormalities in bleomycin-induced pathological fibrosis of the MDB by inhibiting fibroblast activation and excessive collagen fiber deposition. Resveratrol exerted its antifibrotic effect by regulating the SIRT3/TGF-β1/Smad pathway.ConclusionResveratrol has an antifibrotic effect in bleomycin-induced pathological fibrosis of the MDB in vivo and may be considered a novel therapeutic strategy.

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Existence and features of the myodural bridge in Gentoo penguins: A morphological study.

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