Comparative Study Of Primates

1782 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Alternative vs traditional medicine

No one knows where the next breakthrough scientific discovery will come from. It could be synthetically derived or naturally produced, both are viable options and to not explore both of these options would be the equivalent of blindly using only half of your materials. Ancient societies experimented with numerous plant and animal parts to determine what effect they might have. Through trial and error they were able to discover valuable components for human ailments. While they were not always able to separate the “active” compounds, these represented the first crude drugs and this knowledge was passed down through the generations. Many of these traditional medicines have real, helpful effects and extracts of these crude drugs lead to the discovery …show more content…

But we should not only use mammals as comparative models; in endocrinology the comparative study of non-mammals has helped in developmental research of the anterior pituitary using tunicates, a primitive chordate, as a model organism. Morphological, lineage, and immunohistochemical studies have shown the neural gland of tunicates is ectoderm derived (dual process of ciliated duct originating from non-neuronal ectoderm and invagination) and homologous to the vertebrae pituitary (Gorbman et al., 1999; Pestarino, 1985; Kouki et al., 2001). examined the evolution of pituitary function using a less rigorous comparative framework, e.g., examining structures homologous to the pituitary in organisms such as tunicates A comparative approach, using comparative anatomy and developmental genetics, to examine the evolution of pituitary function and probe functionality was crucial in highlighting Pitx genes and their evolutionary origin in the pituitary and their expression domain in embryos (Christiaen et al., 2002). Pit-1 transcription factor is a protein that is responsible for pituitary development and expression of adenohypophysis associated hormones (e.g. prolactin, growth hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormones) and is also found in …show more content…

The study of chicken bursa of Fabricius’, a hindgut lymphoid not found in humans, provided the discovery of B cells and there maturation. Glick et. al (1956) showed that removal of the bursa in newly hatched chicks severely impaired the ability of the adult birds to produce antibodies. The subsequent discovery of the thymus, which has a role in delayed hypersensitivity, and its similar evolutionary role in both humans and chickens convinced immunologist that there was functional disassociation between the thymus and bursa in chickens. This lead to the discovery of there being two separate parts of the immune system in humans: antibody-mediated immunity, with antibody producing cells called B cells after the bursa, and cell-mediated

Show More
Related

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Immune System

    764 Words  | 2 Pages

    The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body, and it defends the body from “foreign invaders.” Immunity can be divided in two three different defenses, and these are defined as first, second and third lines of defense. The first line of defense for the immune system is the primary defense against pathogens entering the body from the surface in order to prevent the start of disease and infection. Some examples of the first line of defense is the skin, protecting the external boundaries of the body, and the mucous membranes, protecting the internal boundaries of the body. Although the skin and mucous membranes work on the internal and external boundaries, they both release chemicals

    Read More

  • Prolactinoma: A Pituitary Tumor

    598 Words  | 2 Pages

    The location of the pituitary gland is in the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone and attaches to the hypothalamus(Marieb & Hoehn 441). The Hypothalamus is included in the function of the pituitary gland as it sends chemical stimulus to it(Marieb & Hoehn 442).Part of the pituitary is called the “ master endocrine gland” due to the fact that is produces many hormones that affect the whole body(Shannon 175).This part of the pituitary gland is called the anterior pituitary(Marieb & Hoehn 601). There are six hormones that the anterior pituitary secretes normally. These Hormones are growth hormones,thyroid stimulating hormones,adrenocorticotropic hormones,luteinizing hormones,follicle stimulating hormones and prolactin hormones( Shannon 175).The Hormone prolactin is one that in normal function stimulates the act of lactation for new mothers to feed their baby(Shannon 175).

    Read More

  • Chimpanzees and Bonobos

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is said that the humanoid existence begins in Africa. It is no coincidence that Africa is also the home to Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, and Bonobos, Pan paniscus. These are humans’ two closest living relatives, both sharing almost 99% of the human genome through common descent. While humans were said to have separated from Chimpanzees around 5-7 million years ago , Bonobos separated from its Chimp cousins around 2 million years ago . Bonobos inhabit a single part of Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo South of the Congo River, unlike the Chimpanzee, which inhabits Across West- and Central Africa, with remaining populations distributed over several countries. While these two apes where once thought to be the same species, up until the beginning of the 20th century , there are many differences socially, as well as physically, that make Bonobos more than a Pygmy Chimp. With disparities in morphology, behavior, perhaps even emotions and cognition, and known as the “make love, not war chimp” , how can this ape be so vastly different from its notoriously violent Pan cousin, but yet share the same amount of similar DNA to Homo sapiens? And what does this mean for the studies of human and past humanoid behavior?

    Read More

  • Primates Observation: Spider Monkey and Sifaka

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    I chose to study the behaviors of the Spider monkey and the Sifaka. I chose them for a few reasons, one being that Spider monkeys are incredibly adorable and two Sifaka’s remind me of a childhood television show, Zoboomafoo. These two primate groups also struck my attention in class, so this project was a perfect opportunity to dig a little deeper. The behaviors I chose to observe were social interactions and locomotion. The biggest differences I noticed between the two primates were that the Spider monkeys have the prehensile tails and without exerting extra energy is able to engage in a few common locomotion patterns such as quadrupedal, suspensory and bipedalisim. Where as Sifaka’s lack a tail, and remain upright at all times, and the only way they don’t waste energy moving around is to jump through the trees. They both hangout in troops, eat similar things and mainly live up high in the trees-- but Spider monkeys care for their own young for up to a year while the Sifaka’s usually engage in non-maternal infant care.

    Read More

  • The Evolution Of Primate Locomotion And Body Configuration: An Analysis

    1872 Words  | 4 Pages

    After millions of years that humans separated from their relative primate how is that humans became bipedal. So many changes have happened to the human body to decide to stay on the ground and abandoned their lives in the trees. Primates evolved different body structures according to their lifestyle and the ecosystem in which they lived. As Charles Darwin natural selection stays; it could be as a result of new environments, the need for food and shelter, which forced humans to adapt and survive. Although, most of primates’ anatomy reflects habits of movement, it could be easy to see the external differences but there are many differences that have been intensely studied and researched.

    Read More

  • Thesis Statement About Primates

    360 Words  | 1 Pages

    Thesis Statement: Despite the rampant protests of animal welfare organizations on encaging primates in zoos since primates typically show abnormal behavior, zoos in the National Capital Region claim that human interaction and enrichment programs help alleviate the stress and trauma primates experience.

    Read More

  • How the Immune System Works

    1942 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Immune Response: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. .

    Read More

  • Primate Culture

    1444 Words  | 3 Pages

    It has been believed that culture is unique to humans and no other groups of animals have culture, but recent evidence refutes this ideology. Before getting into the meat of the argument, it is important to first address the issues regarding the ambiguity of the term, “culture.” What is culture? Many scientists may argue that culture is the way of life for a group of individuals, this definition includes the values, beliefs and traditions of the group (Sapolsky, 2006). Other scientists may argue that culture is the transmission of habits and information by social means (Sapolsky, 2006). Despite the different specifics of what culture is, almost all scientists would agree that culture is transmitted socially through social learning that promotes the transfer of information between members in a group (Boesch and Tomasello, 1998). Based on these notions of culture, it can be justifiably stated that primates have culture. Primates exhibit food preparation techniques, use of tools, communication skills, and most importantly, behaviors of social learning. An exemplar of primates’ capabilities for culture is Koko, the lowland gorilla. Koko, in captivity, was able to learn American sign language, demonstrate self-awareness and the ability to deceive.

    Read More

  • primates

    1707 Words  | 4 Pages

    Viewing and observing primates at the zoo and using them as a research subject is crucial to help with the understanding of how humans came to be. Since humans and primates are onwards of 95% genetically similar (Why are Humans Primates), observing them is a great tool to better understand humans and the relationship we share with primates. Though some research done on primates has questioned the morality of such a thing, by not observing our closest ancestors, we would not have many of the answers about humans that we have today. Non-human primates can teach us many things about ourselves, from evolution,to behavioral and social characteristics.

    Read More

  • Zoo Primate Observation

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    Our earliest ancestors are primates. They are our closest relatives which is why we can see our behavior’s and practices in them. If we observe them we can get a better understanding of them and us, human beings. But unfortunately we all don’t get the chance to see a Primate right in our backdoor. So the best thing I could do for my observation was to visit them at the zoo.

    Read More

  • Characteristics of Human and Non-Human Primates

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    What makes a human a primate? A primate is defined by its many incredible features. A primate is a mammal that has certain characteristics such as: flexible fingers and toes, opposable thumbs, flatter face than other mammals, eyes that face forward and spaced close together, large and complex cerebrum, and social animals. What makes a primate a primate is its characteristics. Some of the physical features that primates can be identified by is by their teeth, snouts, eyes, ears, arms, legs, fingers, and their toes. One of the main things that categorizes a human has a primate is selective pressure, the second main thing is having similar features and characteristics. But both humans and non-humans have differences even though they are both primates.

    Read More

  • What Causes Allergies?

    1455 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...g of the immune system during adolescence. Numerous studies have been executed that both supports portions of this statement and negates sections as well. However, the studies that negate some portion generally fortifies the theory as a whole. For example, even with proper training of the immune system, tolerance was not achieved due to atopic individuals. These individuals are genetically predisposed to certain antigens thus sufficient training would not take place. Fortunately, methods for training of the immune system are under way. Immunotherapy has been implemented before that has completely rerouted the immune system of an individual from a T helper 2 response to a T helper 1 response. Allergies may be on the rise due to society's ideals of hyper-clean environments, but implementation of sufficient immune system training will deter the extremes of allergies.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Anthropoidea And New World Monkeys

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are at least 145 living species of the suborder Anthropoidea . Over 90% of them are monkeys. The remaining species are apes and humans. The anthropoids (members of the suborder Anthropoidea) have been the most successful primates in populating the earth. They are generally larger, more intelligent, and have more highly developed eyes than the prosimians.

    Read More

  • The Immune Response Essay

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    The immune response is a system that recognises and responds to infection and diseases. The history of our understanding of the immune system and the development of vaccination begins when Buddhist monks discovered that drinking snake venom could give them an immunity to a snakebite. Before we understood the immune systems and even the concept of vaccines such as during the bubonic plague and the idea of spontaneous generation. Doctors were using methods of cure such as hanging fragrant herbs to purify the air, partially drain blood or to tie a live chicken to the infected person. We began to understand more about the body and its immune system when Edward Jenner the founder of vaccinology when in 1796 he inoculated a boy with the cowpox

    Read More

  • Herbal Medicine Essay

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    Herbal products are medicinal agents obtained from the plants. It’s all started 100 years ago by ancient people. Since synthetic medicine are not yet invented by that time, ancient people had invented medicine out of the plants. Through generations the original herbal medicine had been modified due to the new knowledge discovered and technologies invented.

    Read More

More about Comparative Study Of Primates

Open Document