HIMERE

master's thesis

• Title (english): CHIMERAS
• Author: Bernarda Bebić
• Mentor: Martina Lojkić (mentor)
• Mentor: Ivan Butković (mentor)
• Committee member: Tugomir Karadjole (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Martina Lojkić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivan Butković (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivan Folnožić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2022-09, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Veterinary Medicine; Veterinary Clinical Sciences

Abstract

Znanost definira himeru kao organizam koji u sebi sadrži genetski različite stanice
porijeklom od različitih zigota koji mogu biti unutar granica iste vrste, kao i izvan. Slaba
istraženost istovrsnog himerizma upućuje na vjerojatnost da je njegovo postojanje u prirodi
mnogo učestalije. Tu činjenicu potkrjepljuje dokaz himerizma u istraživanjima rađenim na
životinjama, najčešće kućnim ljubimcima, koja su ispoljavala nekarakterističan fenotip krzna,
čiji uzrok i dalje ostaje nepoznat. Himerizam, u znatno manjoj mjeri, postoji kao prolazno
stanje u cijelom svijetu, a poznatije je pod nazivom mikrohimerizam. Svaka osoba koja je
primila krv transfuzijom ili transplantirani organ, postaje himera. Taj fenomen može se pronaći
i kod gravidnih ženki u čijem se krvotoku nalaze stanice ploda, kao i majčine stanice u
organizmu ploda. Dosadašnji rezultati istraživanja upućuju na izniman regenerativni potencijal
placentalnih stanica koji bi mogao uvelike utjecati na tijek proučavanja matičnih stanica i
njihovu ulogu u fetalnom razvoju. Najveći utjecaj u humanoj i veterinarskoj medicini ima
ljudski posredovan himerizam koji uključuje stvaranje jedinstvenog orgazima koji u sebi sadrži
stanice različitog genotipa porijeklom od različitih vrsta, međuvrsni oblik himerizma.
Znanstvenici su mnogo godina istraživali himerizam između životinjskih, evolucijski bliskih
vrsta, preko kojih su otkrili potencijal za rast ljudskih stanica, tkiva te naposlijetku čitavih
organa u životinjskom organizmu. Takvo otkriće otvorilo je mnoga vrata u napretku
regenerativne medicine kao i istraživanju ljudskih i životinjskih ranih razvojnih procesa.
Premda ljudsko-životinjski himerizam nosi mnogo nade za napredak u znanosti, isto tako
njegovo je istraživanje u iznimno sporom tijeku zbog trenutne zakonske regulative u EU, ali i
zbog cijelog niza etičkih, socijalnih i znanstvenih problema.

Abstract (english)

Science defines a chimera as an organism that consists of genetically distinct cell
populations originating from different zygotes, which can descent from same or different
species. Lack of research in the field of intraspecies chimerism raises the probability that
chimerism is much more common in our environment. This fact is supported by diagnosis of
chimerism in research done on animals, most often pets, who exhibited uncharacteristic coat
phenotype whose cause still remains unknown. Chimerism in its lesser degrees, more known
as microchimerism, presents transitory state in human as well as animal organisms worldwide.
Any person who has transfused blood of transplanted organ becomes a chimera. This
phenomenon can also be found in pregnant females whose placenta allows the entry of fetal
cells into her circulation as well as the egress of her own cells into the fetal circulation. Results
of research done so far point to a significant regenerative potential of placental cells that could
greatly influence the course of stem cell research together with their role in fetal development.
The greatest impact in human and veterinary medicine has human-induced chimerism that
implies creation of a unique organism that consists of different genotype cells originating from
different species, better known as interspecies chimerism. For many years, scientists have done
research on chimerism between evolutionarily close animals, which has led them to discover
a great potential for the growth of human cells, tissues and eventually entire organs in the
living, animal organism. Such a discovery opened many doors in the field of regenerative
medicine as well as made progress in research of human and animal early developmental
processes. Although human-animal chimerism holds a lot of hope regarding the progress of
science, its research has been extremely slow due to the current legal regulations in the EU as
well as whole series of ethical, social and scientific problems.

• Keywords: himera; mikrohimerizam; ljudsko-životinjski himerizam; regenerativna medicina
• Keywords (english): chimera; microchimerism; human-animal chimerism; regenerative medicine
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:178:559346
• Study programme: Title: Veterinary Medicine; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: doktor/doktorica veterinarske medicine (doktor/doktorica veterinarske medicine)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2022-10-13 12:27:59