Sosenko I R, Frank L
Pediatr Res. 1987 May;21(5):427-31. doi: 10.1203/00006450-198705000-00001.
Guinea pigs demonstrate "precocious" physical and functional development, with newborns displaying open eyes, hair, self-feeding, and temperature regulation. In addition, morphologic lung development is precocious in the guinea pig, with advanced alveolarization taking place in utero. To explore whether pulmonary surfactant development is also advanced, and at what stage prematurely delivered guinea pigs are capable of survival, we delivered fetal guinea pigs at 2- to 3-day intervals from day 49 of gestation to day 69 (birth). These were examined for chronologic changes in lung morphology, lung tissue disaturated phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol and glycogen content, and serum glucocorticoid and thyroid hormone levels. Other prematurely delivered guinea pigs were given brief postnatal resuscitation and their survival noted. We confirmed advanced morphologic lung maturation, yet found that surfactant development, with antecedent hormone peaks and glycogen depletion, occurs during the final 10-15% of gestation. Lung biochemical development is thus "on time" in the guinea pig, rather than "precocious" compared to other frequently studied laboratory animals. In addition, greater than 50% of fetal guinea pigs are capable of survival by 8 days prior to term, well in advance of premature survivability in other small-sized species.
豚鼠表现出“早熟”的身体和功能发育，新生豚鼠眼睛睁开、有毛、能自行进食并能调节体温。此外，豚鼠的肺形态发育也早熟，在子宫内就发生了高级肺泡化。为了探究肺表面活性物质的发育是否也提前，以及早产豚鼠在什么阶段能够存活，我们从妊娠第49天到第69天（出生）每隔2至3天分娩胎豚鼠。对这些胎豚鼠进行肺形态、肺组织不饱和磷脂酰胆碱、磷脂酰甘油和糖原含量以及血清糖皮质激素和甲状腺激素水平的时间变化检查。对其他早产豚鼠进行简短的产后复苏并记录其存活情况。我们证实了肺形态的早熟成熟，但发现表面活性物质的发育，伴随着前期激素峰值和糖原消耗，发生在妊娠最后10 - 15%的阶段。因此，与其他经常研究的实验动物相比，豚鼠的肺生化发育是“准时”的，而非“早熟”。此外，超过50%的胎豚鼠在足月前8天就能够存活，这比其他小型物种的早产存活能力要早得多。
