Study of cardiorespiratory development in cats (Felis catus)

• Grant number: 13/06846-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: André Luis Rezende Franciolli
• Grantee: Brenda Mendonça de Alcântara
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The domestic cat (Felis catus, Linnaeus 1758) is a small mammal that besides being a pet, assists in experimental research both in the preservation of endangered wild cats as in the study of human diseases. The analysis of its embryonic development is important because besides optimizing the researches, mainly the reproductive ones, it can promote an improvement in animal welfare, since the elucidation of pregnancy may be a key point in treatment of congenital diseases. The objective of this project is to study the formation of the cardiorespiratory system in domestic cats. Due to get this, pregnant uteri, from castration campaigns, will be collected and its embryos and fetuses will undergo macro and microscopic (light and scanning microscopy) analysis. Embryos and fetuses will be measured and their gestational ages will be inferred using the "Crow-Rump". Finally, we expect getting chronological details of the emergence and formation of both systems. (AU)