{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/3187"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/3187","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"African mole rats as models for regressive evolution of the eye","abstract":"Darkness-adapted mammals with reduced eyes can serve as valuable models for the study of regressive evolution, as well as for research into the genetic and developmental processes underlying the \"degeneration\" of the eye. The aim of this work was to characterize two African mole rate species (Heterocephalus glaber and Bathyergus suillus) and explore their potential use as novel models for evolutionary developmental eye research. To this end, this histological structure of the adult eye, the development of the eye and the expression of several molecular markers were investigated. The important abnormal features noted were: the abnormal shape and nuclear distribution in the lens, the extremely large ciliary body and delay in the formation of the anterior chamber compared to other ocular structures.","abstract_html":"Darkness-adapted mammals with reduced eyes can serve as valuable models for the study of regressive evolution, as well as for research into the genetic and developmental processes underlying the "degeneration" of the eye. The aim of this work was to characterize two African mole rate species (Heterocephalus glaber and Bathyergus suillus) and explore their potential use as novel models for evolutionary developmental eye research. To this end, this histological structure of the adult eye, the development of the eye and the expression of several molecular markers were investigated. The important abnormal features noted were: the abnormal shape and nuclear distribution in the lens, the extremely large ciliary body and delay in the formation of the anterior chamber compared to other ocular structures.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Nikitina, Natalya"],"institution":"Department of Human Biology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Kidson, Sue H"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2006,"date_issued":"2006","date_published":"2006","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:05Z","subjects":[],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3187","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Kidson, Sue H"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Nikitina, Natalya"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-07-28T18:14:06Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-07-28T18:14:06Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2006"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Human Biology"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Doctoral Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["PhD"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3187"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-166)."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Darkness-adapted mammals with reduced eyes can serve as valuable models for the study of regressive evolution, as well as for research into the genetic and developmental processes underlying the \"degeneration\" of the eye. The aim of this work was to characterize two African mole rate species (Heterocephalus glaber and Bathyergus suillus) and explore their potential use as novel models for evolutionary developmental eye research. To this end, this histological structure of the adult eye, the development of the eye and the expression of several molecular markers were investigated. The important abnormal features noted were: the abnormal shape and nuclear distribution in the lens, the extremely large ciliary body and delay in the formation of the anterior chamber compared to other ocular structures."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["African mole rats as models for regressive evolution of the eye"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Kidson, Sue H"],"dc:creator":["Nikitina, Natalya"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-07-28T18:14:06Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-07-28T18:14:06Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2006"],"dc:description":["Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-166)."],"dc:description.abstract":["Darkness-adapted mammals with reduced eyes can serve as valuable models for the study of regressive evolution, as well as for research into the genetic and developmental processes underlying the \"degeneration\" of the eye. The aim of this work was to characterize two African mole rate species (Heterocephalus glaber and Bathyergus suillus) and explore their potential use as novel models for evolutionary developmental eye research. To this end, this histological structure of the adult eye, the development of the eye and the expression of several molecular markers were investigated. The important abnormal features noted were: the abnormal shape and nuclear distribution in the lens, the extremely large ciliary body and delay in the formation of the anterior chamber compared to other ocular structures."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3187"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Human Biology"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:title":["African mole rats as models for regressive evolution of the eye"],"dc:type":["Doctoral Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["PhD"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:05Z"}