K.T.L. Vaughan
Why a Hedgehog?
Ever since living in Germany for a year, K.T. has had a special place in her heart for hedgehogs. They are considered good luck animals in Europe, as they eat insects in the garden and are rumored to be able to fall out of trees without injury. Unfortunately, hedgehogs are not well equipped to deal with the presence of people, as they tend to roll up into a spiky ball when scared - not a great defence against an oncoming car.The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is a common species for studying evolutionary relationships and changes in mammals. As an insectivore, E. europaeus is considered one of the "lowest" eutherians. This, coupled with the hedgehog's amazing breeding rates and commonness in the wild, makes the species an excellent one for rooting an evolutionary tree.
Another instance of hedgehogs in genetic and biomedical research is that of the "sonic hedgehog" homeobox genes in Drosophilia and other species. Hedgehog genes appear to code for signaling pathways in cell development that include cell type determination and patterning.
Links:
- Hedgehog Welfare Society
- Carolina Hedgehog Society
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web - Erinaceus europaeus
- NCBI Taxonomy Browser - Erinaceus europaeus
- Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man - Sonic Hedgehog; SHH
- UNSW Embryology: Molecular Development - Sonic Hedgehog
December 12, 2003