Postnatal development of the skin of the marsupial native cat Dasyurus hallucatus

Abstract

Skin development of the Northern native cat was examined from birth to weaning at 150 days post partum. An outer layer of cells, termed the periderm or epitrichium, is present on the epidermis of the newborn. This layer of cells is not discernible at 7 days post partum. Skin development of the native cat differs from that of the eutherian mammal. The periderm of the eutherian is no longer discernible when the developing hairs first penetrate the epidermis. In the marsupial, this loss of the periderm occurs well before the appearance of follicles. Melanocytes and Langerhans cells are seen at day 23 post partum, follicles at day 30, sebaceous glands at day 59, and sweat glands at day 67. Thus, when the mother first leaves her young in the nest at about days 60 to 70 of lactation, the skin is at a stage of development that will assist the young with thermoregulation. The skin continues to develop throughout lactation and attains an adult appearance by day 150 post partum.

Comparative anatomy of neonates of the three major mammalian groups (monotremes, marsupials, placentals) and implications for the ancestral mammalian neonate morphotype

“…The skin structure of the neonate M. domestica (337) is very similar to that found in neonates of other marsupial species (Gibbs, 1938;Krause et al 1978;Pralomkarn et al 1990;Makanya et al 2007). The striking skin erythema of newborn marsupials and monotremes is very likely the result of the transparency of the thin epidermis; fewer collagen fibers in the dermis result in poorer light scattering (Baudinette et al 1988).…”

Langerhans Cells in Feline Foetal Epidermis - Immunohistochemical Study of Spatial Distribution

“…In a marsupial (Dasyurus hallucatus), LC were found in epidermis only after 23 days post partum (Pralomkarn et al 1990). In both cases, the appearance of LC seems to correlate with the timing of hair formation.…”

Development of the skin in the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) with focus on cutaneous gas exchange in the early postnatal period

“…Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) would give more insight in cell composition and actual thickness of the blood gas barrier, but was not available for investigation. There is only one ultrastructural study that investigated postnatal skin development in a dasyurid marsupial, the northern native cat ( Dasyurus hallucatus ) (Pralomkarn et al ., 1990). The TEM pictures of the neonate D. hallucatus showed a similar structural development as observed in D. viverrinus .…”

“…Earlier morphological studies of skin development in marsupials (Henrikson, 1969; Lyne, 1970; Lyne et al ., 1970; Krause et al ., 1978; Pralomkarn et al ., 1990) neglected parameters important for cutaneous respiration (capillary density or air–blood diffusion distances). Studies to the gas transfer of pouch young tammar wallabies largely dismissed the possibility that the skin may be an accessory, or a major site of gas exchange in marsupial pouch young (Randall et al ., 1984; Baudinette et al ., 1988).…”