Rikunarita-ORG/Wikinium huggingface dataset:
# Syrian hamster

| Syrian Hamster |
| --- |
|  |
| Conservation status |
|  Vulnerable  (IUCN 2.3) |
| Scientific classification |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Suborder: | Myomorpha |
| Superfamily: | Muroidea |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Cricetinae |
| Genus: | *Mesocricetus* |
| Species: | M. auratus |

The **Syrian hamster** (*Mesocricetus auratus*), also known as the **golden hamster**, is a breed of hamster. They first lived in Syria. They are also known as golden hamsters because the first ones kept as pets were gold coloured. Now there are over 100 different colours because of selective breeding. Little is known about their life in the wild. They are kept as pets in many countries including the United States, Canada most countries in Asia and many more.

## Anatomy

A Syrian hamster's anatomy is similar to other rodents. It is very close to other hamsters.

### Skeleton

#### Teeth

Syrian hamsters have 16 teeth. There are 4 incisors and 12 molars. There is a space between the incisors and the molars. That space is called the diastema.

#### Spine and tail

The spine, like in other animals, is made up of several bones called vertebrae. A Syrian hamster has 43-44 vertebrae. Thirteen to fourteen of them are in the tail.

#### Limbs

All hamsters have short legs. Because of this, their legs have small bones which can get broken more easily. Obese hamsters are more likely to have problems with their legs.

### Sense organs

Syrian hamsters have, like most animals, five senses. They can see, hear, touch, taste and smell. Although they don't see well in daylight, they are not colorblind: Syrian hamsters are nocturnal and can see blue-green colours but not red colours. They use their sense of smell to locate food, and their taste buds function in the same way as human tongues do.

## Breeding

Not much is known about Syrian hamster breeding in the wild. They have been bred well in captivity (i.e. in labs, by breeders and when kept as pets). People have learned a lot about their breeding. Breeding in captivity is probably the same as in the wild.

Syrian hamsters are believed to have the shortest gestation period of any animal. Their gestation is 16 days.

They also have a short ovulation period. Syrian hamsters come into heat once every 4 days for about 1-2 hours.

## Lifespan

The lifespan of a Syrian hamster is typically 2 to 3 years; however, it can occasionally be 4 years. Their longevity is influenced by genetics, environment, diet, activity, veterinary treatment, and stress. Providing them with the best possible care, which includes a healthy diet, roomy living quarters, mental stimulation, and careful handling, will improve their general well-being and lengthen their stay with you.

## Other websites

 Media related to Mesocricetus auratus at Wikimedia Commons

 Data related to Mesocricetus auratus at Wikispecies
# Developmental biology

"Views of a Fetus in the Womb", Leonardo da Vinci, ca. 1510-1512. The subject of prenatal development is a major subset of developmental biology.
**Developmental biology** is the study of how organisms grow and develop.

Modern developmental biology studies the genetic control of cell growth, differentiation and morphogenesis. These are the processes which turn a zygote into an adult animal.

## Cell differentiation

Differentiation is the formation of cell types, from what is originally one cell – the zygote or spore. The formation of cell types like nerve cells occurs with a number of intermediary, less differentiated cell types. A cell stays a certain cell type by maintaining a particular pattern of gene expression.293-5 This depends on regulatory genes.

## Embryonic development

The initial stages of human embryogenesis.
Embryogenesis is the step in the life cycle after fertilisation – the development of the embryo, starting from the zygote (fertilised egg). Organisms can differ drastically in the how embryo develops, especially when they belong to different phyla.

## Growth

Growth is the enlargement of a tissue or organism. Growth continues after the embryonic stage, and occurs through cell division, enlargement of cells or accumulation of extracellular material. In plants, growth results in an adult organism that is strikingly different from the embryo. The dividing cells tend to be distinct from differentiated cells (see stem cell).

In some tissues dividing cells are restricted to special areas, such as the growth plates of bones.467-482 But some stem cells move to where they are needed, from the bone marrow to form muscle, bone or adipose (fat) tissue.

## Metamorphosis

Frog lifecycle
Many animals have a larval stage, with a body plan different from that of the adult organism. The larva abrubtly develops into an adult in a process called metamorphosis. For example, caterpillars (butterfly larvae) are specialized for feeding whereas adult butterflies (imagos) are specialised for flight and reproduction. When the caterpillar has grown enough, it turns into an immobile pupa. Here, the imago develops from imaginal discs found inside the larva.575-585

## Regeneration

Regeneration is the reactivation of development so that a missing body part grows back. This phenomenon has been studied particularly in salamanders, where the adults can reconstruct a whole limb after it has been amputated. Researchers hope to one day be able to induce regeneration in humans. There is little spontaneous regeneration in adult humans, although the liver is a notable exception. Like for salamanders, the regeneration of the liver involves reversing some cells to an earlier state.592-601

## Related pages

* Evolutionary developmental biology
# Oncology

**Oncology** is the medical specialty that deals with the study and treatment of cancer. A doctor that practices oncology is called an oncologist. The term originates from the Greek onkos (ονκος), meaning bulk, mass, or tumour; and the suffix -ology, meaning "study of."
# Cell biology

**Cell biology** is the study of how living cells work. This includes the structure and function of the cell organelles, and the carbon-based molecules which cells produce. Cell biology is an interdisciplinary subject, and uses ideas from genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, and other subjects and techniques.

The most important molecules in cell biology are DNA, RNA and proteins.

The most important structures in the cell are the nucleus and the chromosomes, but there are others.The structure of eukaryotic cells is much more complex than prokaryotic cells. This is because endosymbiosis has occurred: some or all of the eukaryote organelles are former prokaryotes. Examples are mitochondria and plastids.

The most important function of cells is to divide by mitosis or meiosis. Cells in a multicellular organism also specialise in different functions.

* Cytology is mostly about the appearance and structure of cells.