Acute stress affects the corticosterone level in bird eggs: A case study with great tits (Parus major)
In vertebrates, stress experienced by mothers during the early stages of reproduction is an important source of epigenetic modifications in their offspring. Birds represent excellent models to test such effects as their maternal investment can be quantified in terms of egg quality. Recently, it has been demonstrated that corticosterone (CORT) can be transmitted from a […]
Maternal stress and plural breeding with communal care affect development of the endocrine stress response in a wild rodent
Maternal stress can significantly affect offspring fitness. In laboratory rodents, chronically stressed mothers provide poor maternal care, resulting in pups with hyperactive stress responses. These hyperactive stress responses are characterized by high glucocorticoid levels in response to stressors plus poor negative feedback, which can ultimately lead to decreased fitness. In degus (Octodon degus) and other […]
Influence of the rearing system on yolk corticosterone concentration in captive Greater Rheas (Rhea americana)
Many environmental conditions elevate plasma corticosterone in laying birds, leading to elevated hormone accumulation in the egg. We investigated whether maternal yolk corticosterone levels in Greater Rheas differ between fresh eggs collected from an intensive (IRS) and a semi-extensive (SRS) rearing system. After HPLC validation, yolk corticosterone was measured using a corticosterone 125I radio-immunoassay kit. […]
Effects of maternal cortisol treatment on offspring size, responses to stress, and anxiety-related behavior in wild largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Cortisol, the main glucocorticoid stress hormone in teleost fish, is of interest as a mediator of maternal stress on offspring characteristics because it plays an organizational role during early development. The present study tested the hypothesis that maternal exposure to cortisol treatment prior to spawn affects offspring phenotype using wild largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Baseline […]