四种昼间啮齿类动物的活动模式及其应用进展

Locomotor activity of four diurnal rodents and their applications

昼间啮齿类动物具有与人类相似的昼夜节律,随着生物钟的发现,近年来此类动物逐渐展露出夜间啮齿类动物所不能替代的优势,以新兴模型的姿态出现在代谢、光反应、神经调节、社会行为等医学研究领域。然而国内尚缺乏此类动物的报道。因此,本文回顾昼间动物时间生态位的调控,着重介绍长爪沙鼠(Meriones unguiculatus)、智利八齿鼠(Octodon degus)、尼罗河草鼠(Arvicanthis niloticus)和羚羊地松鼠(Ammospermophilus leucurus)这四种较公认的昼间啮齿类动物的活动模式和应用进展,以期为时间生物学研究提供有力工具。

Diurnal rodents and humans share similar circadian rhythms.Since the discovery of the circadian clock,scientists have gradually recognized that diurnal rodents exhibit irreplaceable advantages over nocturnal rodents.Recently,they have been exploited as novel models in medical fields such as metabolism,light reflection,neurology regulation,and social behavior.However,diurnal rodents are poorly understood in China.In this paper,we discuss the evolution of circadian rhythms in diurnal animals and the mechanisms behind these animals’temporal niches.Moreover,to provide an information source for chronobiology,the locomotor activity and application of four well-defined diurnal rodents,Meriones unguiculatus,Octodon degus,Arvicanthis niloticus,and Ammospermophilus leucurus,are reviewed.