Challenges and opportunities in developmental integrative physiology

摘要: This review explores challenges and opportunities in developmental physiology outlined by a symposium at the 2014 American Physiological Society Intersociety Meeting: Comparative Approaches to Grand Challenges Physiology. Across animal taxa, adverse embryonic/fetal environmental conditions can alter morphological physiological phenotypes juveniles or adults, capacities for plasticity are common phenomena. Human neonates with body sizes extremes of perinatal growth an increased risk adult disease, particularly hypertension cardiovascular disease. There many rewarding areas current future research comparative physiology. We present key mechanisms, models, experimental designs that be used across taxa investigate patterns in, implications of, development phenotypes. Intraspecific variation timing events through (heterokairy), could provide raw material selection produce heterochrony — evolutionary change events. Epigenetics critical windows recognizes ovo fetal represent vulnerable period life history animal, when developing organism may unable actively mitigate perturbations. ‘Critical windows’ periods susceptibility vulnerability maternal challenges, recovery from challenge is possible, phenotype epigenome has been altered. Developmental allow survival altered environment, but it also possible long-term consequences animal. “Catch-up growth” humans after window closed elicits obesity exacerbates programmed hypertensive (one examples “fetal programing”). include integrating within generations, applying multiple stressor dosages exposure different timepoints, assessment epigenetic parental influences, new models techniques, assessing implementing these human health development.