Adrenocortical control of phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase and monoamine oxidase activity in the ground squirrel (Citellus citellus) during the summer

Petrović, Vesna; Janić-Šibalić, Vera

doi:10.1016/0016-6480(76)90032-0

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Many species secrete both cortisol and corticosterone; in round-tailed (Spermophilus tereticaudus) and California (Spermophilus beecheyi) ground squirrels, corticosterone is reported to be the major circulating glucocorticoid (Vanjonack et al 1975;Petrovic and Janic-Sibalic 1976;but see Adams 1972). For golden-mantled (Spermophilus lateralis and Spermophilus saturatus), arctic (Spermophilus parryii), and Columbian (Spermophilus columbianus) ground squirrels, as well as yellow-pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus, a species of ground-dwelling squirrel in a different genus), cortisol is the main circulating glucocorticoid (Boswell et al 1994;Boonstra and McColl 2000;Hubbs et al 2000;Kenagy and Place 2000;Place and Kenagy 2000;Boonstra et al 2001;K.…”

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confidence: 99%

A Validation of Extraction Methods for Noninvasive Sampling of Glucocorticoids in Free‐Living Ground Squirrels

Mateo

Cavigelli

2005

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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Fecal hormone assays provide a powerful tool for noninvasive monitoring of endocrine status in wild animals. In this study we validated a protocol for extracting and measuring glucocorticoids in freeliving and captive Belding's ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi). We first compared two commonly used extraction protocols to determine which performed better with commercially available antibodies. We next verified the preferred extraction method by correlating circulating and fecal glucocorticoid measures from a group of individuals over time. For this comparison, we used both a cortisol and a corticosterone antibody to determine which had greater affinity to the fecal metabolites. Cortisol was the primary circulating glucocorticoid, but both hormones were present in well above detectable concentrations in the blood, which does not occur in other sciurids. In addition, the cortisol antibody showed greater binding with the fecal extracts than did the corticosterone antibody. Finally, we used adrenocorticotropic hormone and dexamethasone challenges to demonstrate that changes in adrenal functioning are reflected in changing fecal corticoid levels. These results suggest that our extraction protocol provides a fast, reliable assay of stress hormones in freeliving ground squirrels without the confounding influence of short-term rises in glucocorticoid concentrations caused by handling and restraint stress and that it can facilitate ecological and evolutionary studies of stress in wild species.

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