Search results for "Offspring"
showing 10 items of 395 documents
Aberrant gene expression profiles in Mediterranean sea urchin reproductive tissues after metal exposures
2019
Abstract Marine organisms are simultaneously exposed to numerous pollutants, among which metals probably represent the most abundant in marine environments. In order to evaluate the effects of metal exposure at molecular level in reproductive tissues, we profiled the sea urchin transcriptional response after non-lethal exposures using pathway-focused mRNA expression analyses. Herein, we show that exposures to relatively high concentrations of both essential and toxic metals hugely affected the gonadic expression of several genes involved in stress-response, detoxification, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, without significant changes in gonadosomatic indices. Even though …
Prenatal androgen exposure modulates cellular and humoral immune function of black-headed gull chicks
2005
Avian eggs contain considerable amounts of maternal yolk androgens, which have been shown to beneficially influence the physiology and behaviour of the chick. As androgens may suppress immune functions, they may also entail costs for the chick. This is particularly relevant for colonial species, such as the black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus), in which the aggregation of large numbers of birds during the breeding season enhances the risk of infectious diseases for the hatching chick.To test the effect of maternal yolk androgens on the chick's immune function, we experimentally manipulated, in a field study, yolk androgen levels within the physiological range by in ovo injection of either a…
Food supplementation reveals constraints and adaptability of egg quality in the magpie Pica pica
2015
Differences in the deposition of limited maternal resources to eggs can reflect the optimal allocation to manipulate offspring phenotype, or constraints caused by maternal condition. We examined multiple maternal substances transferred to eggs in the magpie Pica pica to test the hypothesis that certain substances represent constraint and some optimal allocation. We did this by supplementary feeding magpies prior to egg-laying and then comparing the effect of food on maternal substances in conjunction with laying order relative to a control group. Certain substances such as carotenoids, immunoglobulins and avidin responded positively to food supplementation, whereas others, such as testoste…
Dietary exposure in utero and during lactation to a mixture of genistein and an anti-androgen fungicide in a rat mammary carcinogenesis model
2015
Endocrine disruptors may play substantial roles in the high incidence of breast cancer. We previously described how early exposure to the mixture of phytoestrogen genistein (G) and the anti-androgen vinclozolin (V) affects peripubertal mammary development. This study evaluates the carcinogenic potential of exposure to V alone or associated with G from conception until weaning in Wistar rats. Dams were exposed to V, G or GV during pregnancy/lactation. At PND50 offspring were treated with DMBA[7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene]. V or GV maternal exposure decreased number of DMBA-induced mammary tumors in the offspring, without significant modifications in tumor incidence, multiplicity and latenc…
Environmental levels of bisphenol A, genistein and vinclozolin feminize digit length ratios in male rats: towards a new sensitive indicator of prenat…
2012
Environmental levels of bisphenol A, genistein and vinclozolin feminize digit length ratios in male rats: towards a new sensitive indicator of prenatal endocrine disruption and its impact in the progeny. – CIME project. Colloque PNR-PE
Unconditional adoption rules out the need for parent–offspring recognition in a single‐brooded colonial seabird
2021
Parent–offspring recognition (POR) is fundamental in colonial birds when the potential intermingling of chicks is higher due to the large number and proximity of nests. In species with isolated nests, where chick presence in the nest is strong contextual evidence of kinship, there might be circumstances when the parent might doubt the identity of the chick, but not enough to reject it. Olfactory-based recognition of conspecifics and nest sites in birds has gained strong evidence suggesting a potential role of olfaction in POR. Despite that, there are no studies testing it. We used Scopoli's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) as model colonial single-brooded species with a developed olfactory…
Social Interactions of Dat-Het Epi-Genotypes Differing for Maternal Origins: The Development of a New Preclinical Model of Socio-Sexual Apathy
2021
Social interaction is essential for life but is impaired in many psychiatric disorders. We presently focus on rats with a truncated allele for dopamine transporter (DAT). Since heterozygous individuals possess only one non-mutant allele, epigenetic interactions may unmask latent genetic predispositions. Homogeneous “maternal” heterozygous offspring (termed MAT-HET) were born from dopamine-transporter knocked-out (DAT-KO) male rats and wild-type (WT) mothers
Temporal variation in reproductive allocation in a shield bug Elasmostethus interstinctus
1996
We investigated changes in the reproductive output and the effect of female phenotype on reproductive parameters in a shield bug Elasmostethus interstinctus (L.) (Heteroptera: Acanthosomatidae) over the whole reproductive period. At the beginning and the middle of the reproductive period eggs were smaller than at the end of the period. Clutch mass and number of eggs per clutch decreased in laying sequence, first clutches being much larger than any of the later ones. Lifetime fecundity correlated positively with female size: large females produced more eggs and lived longer than small ones. Egg size did not vary with female size. Offspring survival until adulthood increased with egg weight. …
Sex-specific transgenerational effects of early developmental conditions in a passerine
2007
Most studies dealing with the trade-off between offspring number and quality have overlooked the long-term consequences for the progeny. High investment in offspring number usually results in an increased competition among nest mates. The deterioration of the early developmental conditions, due to this increased competition, can impair individual quality over the long term, and subsequently affect survival and lifetime fecundity. Moreover, the consequences of the allocation rule to offspring number vs. quality can extend across generations and give raise to grandparental effects. These transgenerational trade-offs have been explored rarely. In the present study, we manipulated the breeding …
Pedigree verification with multiple candidate parents using Pedverif software
2010
Species like sheep and beef cattle are commonly raised in large herds and often on pasture with multiple sires joining the females for unrecorded natural insemination. This leads to offspring with multiple candidate parents and therefore uncertain parentage. Twins or triplets can be from multiple sires as well. Pedigrees from such populations are often problematic and need proper verification. The Pedverif computer program is able to verify normal pedigrees as well as pedigrees with multiple candidate parents.