title: Evolution of the parathyroid hormone family and skeletal formation pathways.
abstract: Bone is considered to be a feature of higher vertebrates and one of the features that was required for the movement from water onto land. But there are a number of evolutionarily important species that have cartilaginous skeletons, including sharks. Both bony and cartilaginous fish are believed to have a common ancestor who had a bony skeleton. A number of factors and pathways have been shown to be involved in the development and maintenance of bony skeleton including the Wnt pathway and the parathyroid hormone gene family. The study of these pathways and factors in cartilaginous animals may shed light on the evolution of the vertebrate skeleton.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Endocrinology and Biochemistry Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia. janine.danks@rmit.edu.au
authors.forename: Janine A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Danks
authors.forename: Damian G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: Haley J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.forename: Kristi M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Milley
authors.forename: Samantha J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008954:Models, Biological; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D051153:Wnt Proteins