Dear ResearchGate community,
I am exploring the feasibility of developing a chicken model for beta-thalassemia to complement existing mouse models. Chickens possess unique features, such as nucleated erythrocytes, distinct hemoglobin gene expression, and a 30-day red cell lifespan (compared to the 120-day lifespan in humans), which could provide novel insights into erythropoiesis and hemoglobin regulation.
However, challenges like achieving precise genetic mimicry and limited avian-specific research protocols must be considered.
I’d greatly appreciate your insights on:
Your feedback would be invaluable, especially from experts in hemoglobinopathies, avian biology, or animal model development.
My models are done on mice but developing a chicken model for beta-thalassemia research could be quite valuable. Chickens have been used as models due to their unique combination of accessibility, affordability, and relevance to human biology. The chicken embryo, in particular, offers distinct advantages over traditional mammalian models, such as rapid development, external growth environment, and clear structural visibility.
Using a chicken model could facilitate the study of real-time biological processes, including tissue development and gene expression, which are crucial for understanding beta-thalassemia. Additionally, the ethical concerns are minimized compared to mammalian models, making it a more acceptable option for early-stage research
Here are some common steps to get started with developing a chicken model for beta-thalassemia research:
S. Béatrice Marianne Ewalds-Kvist Thank you very much for your valuable suggestions and insights! Given your expertise in working with beta-thalassemia models in mice, I’d like to ask your opinion: if a chicken model for beta-thalassemia were successfully developed, how would scientists like yourself perceive and use this unique model? Do you see it as a complementary tool to existing mammalian models, and what specific areas of beta-thalassemia research might benefit most from it?
Developing a chicken model for beta-thalassemia could be a significant breakthrough in medical research. As Beta-thalassemia is a blood disorder that reduces the production of hemoglobin, having a reliable animal model could help researchers better understand the disease and develop new treatments.
Potential Benefits:
Challenges:
My mice models are about other things.
Blood Cells, Molecules, and Diseases
Volume 104, January 2024, 102761
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Cellular and animal models for the investigation of β-thalassemia
Author links open overlay panelAntonella Nai a b, Celia Cordero-Sanchez a, Emanuele Tanzi a, Alessia Pagani a, Laura Silvestri a b, Simona Maria Di Modica
This is a paper that can benefit you.
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