Older siblings' cells can be passed from female dogs to their puppies in the womb
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 13:00
in Psychology & Sociology
Some people possess a small number of cells in their bodies that are not genetically their own; this condition is known as microchimerism. In prior studies, researchers from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine found that this condition also exists in dogs. Now, the researchers have found evidence that this condition can be passed from a female dog to her offspring while they are still in the womb. Jeffrey Bryan, an associate professor of oncology at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and director of Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory, says this discovery will help further study into the health effects of microchimerism in dogs and in humans.