Heritable spina bifida in sheep: A potential model for fetal repair of myelomeningocele.

ABSTRACT:

Background/purpose

In 2004, a heritable occurrence of spina bifida was reported in sheep on a farm in the United States. We maintained and characterized the spina bifida phenotype in this flock to assess its potential as an alternative surgical model.

Methods

A breeding strategy was developed in which the sheep were crossed to maintain or increase the occurrence of spina bifida. Measurements and observations were recorded regarding lesion size, birthweight, ambulatory capacity, or urological function, and necropsies were performed on spina bifida afflicted lambs in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging to determine the character of the spina bifida defects and assess the presence of Chiari-like malformations or hydrocephalus.

Results

The defects were observed to

SUBMITTER: Steele JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6935438 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature