Robert Dejournett wrote: >3) The nutrient demands of the ferret would have to be the same as a human >embroy. I don't think this will be true. At the molecular level, it >involves signalling molecules from the mother to the embroy. While we are >very similiar genetically to ferrets and other mammals, there is a big >compatibility problem here. I think Ed was having one of his "silly" attacks when he posted this, but I did read it with some interest. (Hey, I loved the movie "Junior"!) I was also wondering about other metabolic differences between species; body temp, hormone levels, normal blood values, etc and what effect that could have on a developing embryo. When I used to work at the Bronx Zoo, one summer they did attempt to implant embryos from Gaurs into Holstein cows. I think they tried implanting three; one carried to term. The reason they did this was to see if they could use other animals as surrogates mothers for endangered and threatened species. (I forget which category the Gaurs fall into.) So, although Ed's concept of a man carrying a ferret embryo to term might be difficult or impossible to bring to achieve, embryo transplants with hormonal intervention as Robert described *can* concievably be utilized among similar species, and perhaps one of the weasel family members, perhaps even a ferret might be close enough to a black footed ferret to use them in a breeding program. (However as I understand it, the problem is not one of successful breeding so much as their ability to survive after being released.) -Ilena Ayala [Posted in FML issue 2719]