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Content with tag corticosterone .

Physiological mechanisms of adaptive developmental plasticity in Rana temporaria island populations

Adaptive plasticity is essential for many species to cope with environmental heterogeneity. In particular, developmental plasticity allows organisms with complex life cycles to adaptively adjust the timing of ontogenetic switch points. In this study, the physiological mechanisms underlying divergent degrees of developmental plasticity across Rana temporaria island populations inhabiting different types of pools in northern Sweden is investigated.

Non-lethal levels of stressors induce marked physiological responses in amphibian larvae

Planetary-scale changes due to human activities involve abrupt environmental alterations, which can particularly involve dramatic consequences in the aquatic systems because of the low dispersal ability of many species living there. In this study the physiological stress responses against non-lethal levels of common stressors for amphibian larvae, the most threatened group in the world, were evaluated.

Comparing techniques for measuring corticosterone in tadpoles

Glucocorticoids play a key role in the stress response in vertebrates. In particular, corticosterone (CORT) is the main glucocorticoid in amphibians, birds, and reptiles.The most common methods for measuring CORT levels are competitive binding immunoassays: RIA and (EIA. Since the 1980's RIA has been broadly used but it requires radioactivity. In the last years, commercial kits of EIA has been developed and permit to measure CORT levels without the use of radioactivity. Here authors use...