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Weißbüschelaffen Jungtier Carina Fahlbusch

Our Research with Common Marmosets

Common Marmosets

Common marmosets are important translational models for human diseases so that therapies for these diseases can be tested on them. In addition to the genetic modification of common marmosets, we also use this primate species for developmental and reproductive biology research due to its particular advantages.

 

Our Research with Common Marmosets

Common marmosets are small compared to rhesus monkeys or baboons, can be handled while awake and have a short generation time of around 2 years. This means that, relative to other primates, they are able to produce offspring quickly after birth. Overall, the reproductive capacity of common marmosets is many times higher than that of rhesus monkeys, which is a very important aspect for our research. Compared to mice and rats, however, common marmosets have a 6-7 times longer gestation period and, like humans, a female reproductive cycle of around 28 days. In addition, the number of offspring per litter is much lower in primates than in mice and rats. These are examples of the reproductive biological peculiarities of primates. Another advantage of the common marmoset in reproductive research is the very similar histological organization of the testes of this species with the human testis. Due to these and other aspects, the common marmoset is the most suitable primate model for our research.

We have extensive experience in research with this primate species. This ranges from the production and use of different types of common marmoset stem cells to the assessment of the animals with regard to their reproduction, such as hormonal cycle and pregnancy analyses (in cooperation with the hormone laboratory of the DPZ), ultrasound examinations of offspring in utero and procedures such as sperm and egg collection including in vitro fertilization, genetic modification of early embryos, pre-implantation diagnostics and embryo transfer to surrogate mothers.

Husbandry of our Common Marmosets

A crucial aspect of our work is the welfare of our common marmosets. Only animals that are doing well allow meaningful studies. The animal keepers and veterinarians of the DPZ's animal facility, as well as the veterinarians and the trained scientific and technical staff of the Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Platform, are jointly responsible for the welfare of the animals. Furthermore, the animal welfare officers of the DPZ monitor the welfare of the animals. If they have concerns about the welfare of the animals, they can temporarily or permanently remove them from the experiment.

Some Pictures of our Animals

Ultrasound of a Common Marmoset Fetus in Utero