Taurine transport in purified brush-border membranes from rodent kidney is concentrative and driven by the Na('+) gradient and transmembrane potential difference. The high-affinity, low-capacity carrier is specific for (beta)-amino compounds. / Inherited, strain-dependent influences on taurine reabsorption were investigated in the C3H/HeJ strain, a low excretor of taurine in urine and the C57Bl/6J strain, a high excretor. Although both strains transport taurine similarly at the luminal membrane, impaired exit at the baso-lateral membrane of renal epithelium in the hypertaurinuric strain results in increased intracellular levels of taurine and subsequent backflux into the urine. / The kidney is an important arbiter of taurine homeostasis. When animals are deprived of taurine, the kidney adapts by increasing taurine uptake at the renal brush-border membrane and in renal cortex slices; fractional excretion drops sharply. A change in plasma taurine may be the critical signal for adaptation.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Pharmacology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 343-403) / xiii, 403 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Examines the immune priviledged status of the testis, and the likely mechanisms involved in providing this priviledged status. Some new concepts on the possible mechanisms that afford an immunologically protected environment in the rodent testis are presented. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Animal Sciences, 1987

The lactational strategy of <u>Thrichomys apereoides</u>, a tropical hystricomorph rodent was examined. Milk composition and yield, and mammary gland composition was determined. / Master of Science

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Science, 2000.

Alcohol use disorders are a public health issue related to adverse effects for individuals and society. A low level of response, or decreased sensitivity, to alcohol has been identified as a heritable risk factor for development of alcohol use disorders. One method for researching level of response to alcohol is through the use of rodent models, which are developed to mimic human conditions while eliminating barriers to conducting research with people. Current rodent models used to evaluate effects of ethanol on motor performance have been criticized for not being well matched to human tasks that measure level of change in body sway after alcohol consumption. This study looks at oromotor behavior as a potential alternative to gross motor performance in hopes of increasing correspondence between human and rodent measures of intoxication. To evaluate rodent oromotor performance a force transducer lickometer is used to measure several dimensions of licking behavior after administration of different concentrations of ethanol solution via gavage. Results show that force of licking is not sensitive to dose of ethanol. The total number of licks per session show dose related decreases and licking rhythm, evaluated by the length and distribution of interlick intervals, either increased or decreased for three of the four subjects. Recommendations are made for procedural modifications in order to reduce variability in data and further investigate oromotor performance and level of response to alcohol.

Neural changes in the forelimb cortex were studied at Postnatal (P) 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 100 days. Six biological markers of brain development, cortical thickness, Layer III pyramidal cell morphology, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), myelination, c-fos activity and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were correlated with the behavioural development of reaching, bimanual coordination, postural adjustment, and defensive feeding behaviours. The behaviours were filmed from P15 until P30 and then also in adulthood. For the behaviours there was a gradual development of the skilled patterns of paw and digit use seen in adults as well as in the patterns of movements in postural adjustment, carry behaviours and dodging and robbing type behaviours. The development of the adult patterns of movement were correlated to the morphological and biochemical changes in the cortex. The results suggest that the maturation of skilled movements depends upon anatomical and neurochemical maturation of the neocortex as well as upon learning. / x, 132 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Assessments of delay discounting in rodent lines bidirectionally selected for home cage intake and preference of alcohol have had mixed findings. The current study sought to examine if delay discounting related differentially to alcohol seeking versus and alcohol drinking, two processes underlying alcohol intake and preference. Three strains of rats were utilized to answer this question Long Evans (LE), high alcohol drinking rats (HAD2), and alcohol preferring P rats. All strains were compared in an adjusting amount delay discounting task. Operant self-administration of alcohol was then assessed in the sipper tube model, and finally home cage drinking was assessed in a 24 hour 2 bottle choice paradigm. In the delay discounting it was found that the P rats were steeper discounters than both the LE and HAD2. In the sipper tube model, P rats displayed higher levels of seeking than both the HAD2s and the LE, but both the P rats and the HAD2s had higher intakes than the LE. During 24 hour home cage access, the P rats and the HAD2s had higher intake and preference for alcohol than the LE, but were not different from each other. These results show that increased discounting of delayed rewards tracks with appetitive processes versus consummatory factors and home cage intake of alcohol. This builds on prior findings using selected line pairs by providing an explanation for discordant results, and supports the hypotheses that increased delay discounting is an intermediate phenotype that predisposes individuals to alcohol use disorders.