Naturally Occurring, Physiologically Normal, Primate Chimeras

Overview

Journal Chimerism

Specialties General Surgery
Molecular Biology

Date 2012 May 26

PMID 22627807

Citations 8

Authors

Carolyn Sweeney

Joshua Ward

Eric J Vallender

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Callitrichids, South American primates including marmosets and tamarins, have evolved a unique physiology. Twins share a placenta during gestation and exchange stem cells, resulting in naturally occurring chimeric adults. Our study used a quantitative PCR-based assay to address whether this chimerism was restricted to blood and other cells of the hematopoietic lineage or whether it extended to other somatic tissues. These studies help to characterize species that have adapted evolutionarily to pervasive chimerism, with every individual healthy and unperturbed. This experiment of evolution offers insight into transplantation and histocompatibility, reproductive biology and behavior, and innate and adaptive immunity.

Citing Articles

Micro-to multi-chimerism: the multiple facets of a singular phenomenon.

Rinkevich B, Goulet T Semin Immunopathol. 2025; 47(1):17.

PMID: 39966117 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-025-01044-x.

Comprehensive Overview of Methods of Pregnancy Termination in Macaques and Marmosets.

Virgilio T, Nederlof R, Brown M, Bakker J Vet Sci. 2024; 11(11).

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Marmosets as models of infectious diseases.

Herron I, Laws T, Nelson M Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2024; 14:1340017.

PMID: 38465237 PMC: 10921895. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1340017.

Pan-primate studies of age and sex.

Horvath S, Haghani A, Zoller J, Lu A, Ernst J, Pellegrini M Geroscience. 2023; 45(6):3187-3209.

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Whole blood transfusion in common marmosets: a clinical evaluation.

Yurimoto T, Mineshige T, Shinohara H, Inoue T, Sasaki E Exp Anim. 2021; 71(2):131-138.

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