| Title |
Molecular analyses of dinosaur osteocytes support the presence of endogenous molecules
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
BONE, October 2012
|
| DOI | 10.1016/j.bone.2012.10.010 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Mary Higby Schweitzer, Wenxia Zheng, Timothy P. Cleland, Marshall Bern |
| Abstract |
The discovery of soft, transparent microstructures in dinosaur bone consistent in morphology with osteocytes was controversial. We hypothesize that, if original, these microstructures will have molecular features in common with extant osteocytes. We present immunological and mass spectrometry evidence for preservation of proteins comprising extant osteocytes (Actin, Tubulin, PHEX, Histone H4) in osteocytes recovered from two non-avian dinosaurs. Furthermore, antibodies to DNA show localized binding to these microstructures, which also react positively with DNA intercalating stains propidium iodide (PI) and 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI). Each antibody binds dinosaur cells in patterns similar to extant cells. These data are the first to support preservation of multiple proteins and to present multiple lines of evidence for material consistent with DNA in dinosaurs, supporting the hypothesis that these structures were part of the once living animals. We propose mechanisms for preservation of cells and component molecules, and discuss implications for dinosaurian cellular biology. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 32 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 7 | 22% |
| United Kingdom | 4 | 13% |
| Spain | 2 | 6% |
| Indonesia | 1 | 3% |
| Germany | 1 | 3% |
| Switzerland | 1 | 3% |
| Argentina | 1 | 3% |
| Netherlands | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown | 14 | 44% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 21 | 66% |
| Scientists | 10 | 31% |
| Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 3% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 127 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 4 | 3% |
| United Kingdom | 3 | 2% |
| South Africa | 1 | <1% |
| Germany | 1 | <1% |
| Argentina | 1 | <1% |
| Canada | 1 | <1% |
| Spain | 1 | <1% |
| Denmark | 1 | <1% |
| Unknown | 114 | 90% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 26 | 20% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 21 | 17% |
| Student > Master | 19 | 15% |
| Student > Bachelor | 19 | 15% |
| Professor | 7 | 6% |
| Other | 23 | 18% |
| Unknown | 12 | 9% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 41 | 32% |
| Earth and Planetary Sciences | 30 | 24% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 11 | 9% |
| Chemistry | 8 | 6% |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3% |
| Other | 19 | 15% |
| Unknown | 14 | 11% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 208. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 19 February 2024.
All research outputs
#190,082
of 25,587,485 outputs
Outputs from BONE
#9
of 4,346 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#948
of 193,369 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BONE
#1
of 44 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,587,485 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 4,346 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 4.9. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 44 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries.