Variable effects of yolk androgens on growth, survival, and immunity in eastern bluebird nestlings

Physiol Biochem Zool. 2005 Jul-Aug;78(4):570-8. doi: 10.1086/430689. Epub 2005 May 31.

Abstract

Female birds allocate androgens differentially within and among clutches, and it has been suggested that this is a strategy to maximize reproductive success. Only a few studies, however, have examined the effects of yolk testosterone (T) on the growth and development of nestlings, and none have reported on the immunological effects of yolk T nor have they examined several different effects in the same nestlings. To examine the effects of yolk T on nestling eastern bluebirds, we administered two doses of exogenous T to bluebird eggs and measured the growth and immunological responsiveness in the resulting nestlings. We found that yolk T is detrimental to developing embryos, with hatching success decreasing with increasing doses of yolk T. Moderate doses of yolk T stimulated skeletal growth during the embryonic period, while high doses of yolk T resulted in nestlings that weighed more and were more mature at fledging but had a compromised T-cell immune response to phytohemagglutinin. These data suggest that the alteration of reproductive success through the allocation of yolk T is a complicated phenomenon that involves the integration of several physiological effects.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn / growth & development*
  • Animals, Newborn / immunology
  • Antibodies / blood
  • Antibody Formation / drug effects
  • Body Weights and Measures
  • Egg Proteins / physiology*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / drug effects
  • Female
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects*
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Ovum / drug effects
  • Ovum / physiology
  • Passeriformes / embryology*
  • Passeriformes / growth & development*
  • Passeriformes / immunology
  • Phytohemagglutinins
  • Testosterone / pharmacology*
  • Testosterone / physiology

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Egg Proteins
  • Phytohemagglutinins
  • Testosterone