TY - JOUR
T1 - Plasma steroids and steroid-binding capacity in male semelparous dasyurid marsupials (Phascogale tapoatafa) that survive beyond the breeding season in captivity
AU - Schmidt, Adele
AU - Taggart, David
AU - Holz, Peter
AU - Temple-Smith, Peter
AU - Bradley, Adrian
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - The semelparous dasyurids display a unique life history, in that all males die within a few weeks of the completion of the breeding season. Studies of several semelparous species have revealed that the male die-off is stress-related, and accompanied by increased plasma androgen and cortisol levels and decreased corticosteroid binding capacity, resulting in suppression of immune and inflammatory responses. This study examines the endocrine profile of male brush-tailed phascogales (Phascogale tapoatafa) that survive beyond the breeding season in captivity. Plasma cortisol, corticosteroid binding globulin and albumin levels were monitored in both males and females and steroid partitioning calculated. Captive males surviving beyond the breeding season did not show the elevation in plasma cortisol and decrease in corticosteroid binding capacity reported in wild males. Plasma albumin concentrations also remained constant during the sampling period. These data indicate that captive males do not undergo the same stress response described in wild populations.
AB - The semelparous dasyurids display a unique life history, in that all males die within a few weeks of the completion of the breeding season. Studies of several semelparous species have revealed that the male die-off is stress-related, and accompanied by increased plasma androgen and cortisol levels and decreased corticosteroid binding capacity, resulting in suppression of immune and inflammatory responses. This study examines the endocrine profile of male brush-tailed phascogales (Phascogale tapoatafa) that survive beyond the breeding season in captivity. Plasma cortisol, corticosteroid binding globulin and albumin levels were monitored in both males and females and steroid partitioning calculated. Captive males surviving beyond the breeding season did not show the elevation in plasma cortisol and decrease in corticosteroid binding capacity reported in wild males. Plasma albumin concentrations also remained constant during the sampling period. These data indicate that captive males do not undergo the same stress response described in wild populations.
U2 - 10.1016/j.ygcem2006.06.003
DO - 10.1016/j.ygcem2006.06.003
M3 - Article
SN - 0016-6480
VL - 149
SP - 236
EP - 243
JO - General and Comparative Endocrinology
JF - General and Comparative Endocrinology
IS - 3
ER -