College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Heartland Assays LLC, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Zoo Biol. 2022 Jan;41(1):20-25. doi: 10.1002/zoo.21643. Epub 2021 Jul 30.
Hoffmann's two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni) are unique animals popular in zoological settings. The role of vitamin D in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis in this species is unexplored, although disorders of calcium homeostasis have been reported in managed sloths, including urolithiasis and soft tissue mineralization. This study assessed cutaneous concentrations of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in nine indoor-housed Hoffmann's two-toed sloths, as a means of evaluating the potential for cutaneous photobiosynthesis of vitamin D . Samples were obtained from both abdominal and lumbar regions of the skin to assess for regional variation in 7-DHC concentration. The average concentration of 7-DHC in the sloth skin was low (0.197 ± 0.02 nmol/cm ). Location had a significant effect on 7-DHC level only when concentrations were expressed based on the wet weight of the sample (ng/g), but levels were similar when values were normalized to biopsy surface area (nmol/cm ).
霍夫曼的两趾树懒（Choloepus hoffmanni）是一种在动物学环境中很受欢迎的独特动物。尽管在管理的树懒中已经报道了钙稳态紊乱，包括尿石症和软组织矿化，但这种物种中维生素 D 维持钙稳态的作用仍未得到探索。本研究评估了 9 只室内饲养的霍夫曼的两趾树懒的皮肤中 7-脱氢胆固醇（7-DHC）的浓度，作为评估皮肤光生物合成维生素 D 的潜在能力的一种手段。从腹部和腰部的皮肤采集样本，以评估 7-DHC 浓度的区域变化。树懒皮肤中的 7-DHC 浓度平均值较低（0.197 ± 0.02 nmol/cm ）。只有当基于样本的湿重（ng/g）表示浓度时，位置才对 7-DHC 水平有显著影响，但当值归一化为活检表面积（nmol/cm ）时，水平相似。
