Characterization of telomeres and telomerase expression in Xiphophorus.

ABSTRACT: Research investigating telomere lengths and telomerase expression in vertebrates has progressively become important due to the association of these two biological endpoints with cellular aging and cancer in humans. Studies that rely upon the traditional use of laboratory mice have been faced with limitations largely due to inbred mice possessing large telomeres and ubiquitous expression of telomerase. Recently, a number of small fish species have been shown to provide potentially informative models for examining the role of telomeres and telomerase within intact vertebrate animals. Xiphophorus fishes represent a new world live-bearing genus that has not previously been assessed for telomere length or telomerase expression. To add to the knowledge base of telomere and telomerase biology in

SUBMITTER: Downs KP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3208803 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature