Behavioral and developmental consequences of early rearing experience for captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

Snyder, Rebecca J.; Zhang, An J.; Zhang, Zhi H.; Li, Guang H.; Tian, Yü; Huang, Xiang M.; Luo, Lan; Bloomsmith, Mollie A.; Forthman, Debra L.; Maple, Terry L.

doi:10.1037/0735-7036.117.3.235

Cited by 63 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…In addition, both small RNA-seq and stem-loop qRT-PCR results indicated that the abundance of exogenous bamboo miRNAs changed with the increasing greenness of giant panda milk (Fig. 5D,E), which may be highly associated with the stress fasting of the giant panda within the first three days after delivery 57 . This result emphasizes the potential oral intake of exogenous plant miRNAs from food sources in the giant panda.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Exosomal microRNAs in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) breast milk: potential maternal regulators for the development of newborn cubs

Wang

Long

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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The physiological role of miRNAs is widely understood to include fine-tuning the post-transcriptional regulation of a wide array of biological processes. Extensive studies have indicated that exosomal miRNAs in the bodily fluids of various organisms can be transferred between living cells for the delivery of gene silencing signals. Here, we illustrated the expression characteristics of exosomal miRNAs in giant panda breast milk during distinct lactation periods and highlighted the enrichment of immune- and development-related endogenous miRNAs in colostral and mature giant panda milk. These miRNAs are stable, even under certain harsh conditions, via the protection of extracellular vesicles. These findings indicate that breast milk may facilitate the dietary intake of maternal miRNAs by infants for the regulation of postnatal development. We also detected exogenous plant miRNAs from the primary food source of the giant panda (bamboo) in the exosomes of giant panda breast milk that were associated with regulatory roles in basic metabolism and neuron development. This result suggested that dietary plant miRNAs are absorbed by host cells and subsequently secreted into bodily fluids as potential cross-kingdom regulators. In conclusion, exosomal miRNAs in giant panda breast milk may be crucial maternal regulators for the development of intrinsic ‘slink’ newborn cubs.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Exosomal microRNAs in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) breast milk: potential maternal regulators for the development of newborn cubs

Wang

Long

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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“…Early rearing socialization and maternal-offspring interaction plays an important role in the development of giant pandas [Snyder et al, 2003[Snyder et al, , 2006Swaisgood et al, 2003]. Cubs in the wild remain with their mothers for 1.5-2.5 years [Lu et al, 1994].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cubs in the wild remain with their mothers for 1.5-2.5 years [Lu et al, 1994]. In captivity, cubs that are allowed to remain with their mother past the age of 6 months are more active and spend a significantly greater amount of time manipulating bamboo than those raised by peers [Snyder et al, 2003]. Further studies on the ontogeny of the wadding behavior in the giant panda would be useful in determining the extent to which this behavior is affected by early socialization.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal shifts in giant panda feeding behavior: relationships to bamboo plant part consumption

et al. 2010

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The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is classified as a carnivore, yet subsists on a diet comprised almost exclusively of bamboo. Wild and captive giant pandas use highly selective foraging behaviors for processing and consuming bamboo. These behaviors are for the first time quantified in captive giant pandas over a 5-year period of time showing highly specific seasonal trends. Giant panda feeding behavior was recorded using live video observations of two giant pandas housed at the Memphis Zoo from November 2003 to June 2008. Leaf was the primary plant part consumed from June to December, whereas culm was consumed primarily from February to May, with both bears displaying similar seasonal shifts in plant part consumption. From May to June, leaf consumption increased significantly (P-values<0.001); from June to August, leaf consumption remained high and stable. From December to March, leaf consumption decreased significantly (P-values<0.001). Specific behaviors for bamboo leaf and culm consumption were also observed. Both bears formed wads of leaves before ingestion while feeding on leaf, but the male employed this feeding behavior more often than the female (54 and 33%, respectively). Both bears used similar culm-stripping behavior (26 and 25%), used to remove the outer layer and isolate the pith for consumption. This study indicates that unique seasonal foraging behaviors observed in wild pandas are also apparent in captive animals in relation to plant part selectivity and feeding behaviors.

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“…Thus, it is difficult to identify pregnancy in giant pandas based on changes in progesterone levels (5). At present, research on captive giant pandas has focused on the detection of estrus and mating (6,7), as well as infant care and development (2,8). However, there are sparse reports on the physiological changes of pregnant pandas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Urinary Metabolomics in Giant Pandas Using Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry: Pregnancy-Related Changes in the Metabolome

Cao

Liu

et al. 2020

Front. Endocrinol.

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Giant pandas represent one of the most endangered species worldwide, and their reproductive capacity is extremely low. They have a relatively long gestational period, mainly because embryo implantation is delayed. Giant panda cubs comprise only a small proportion of the mother's body weight, making it difficult to determine whether a giant panda is pregnant. Timely determination of pregnancy contributes to the efficient breeding and management of giant pandas. Meanwhile, metabolomics studies the metabolic composition of biological samples, which can reflect metabolic functions in cells, tissues, and organisms. This work explored the urinary metabolites of giant pandas during pregnancy. A sample of 8 female pandas was selected. Differences in metabolite levels in giant panda urine samples were analyzed via ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry comparing pregnancy to anoestrus. Pattern recognition techniques, including partial least squares-discriminant analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis, were used to analyze multiple parameters of the data. Compared with the results during anoestrus, multivariate statistical analysis of results obtained from the same pandas being pregnant identified 16 differential metabolites in the positive-ion mode and 43 differential metabolites in the negative-ion mode. The levels of tryptophan, choline, kynurenic acid, uric acid, indole-3-acetaldehyde, taurine, and betaine were higher in samples during pregnancy, whereas those of xanthurenic acid and S-adenosylhomocysteine were lower. Amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and organic acid production differed significantly between anoestrus and pregnancy. Our results provide new insights into metabolic changes in the urine of giant pandas during pregnancy, and the differential levels of metabolites in urine provide a basis for determining pregnancy in giant pandas. Understanding these metabolic changes could be helpful for managing pregnant pandas to provide proper nutrients to their fetuses.

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Behavioral and developmental consequences of early rearing experience for captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

Cited by 63 publications

References 37 publications

Exosomal microRNAs in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) breast milk: potential maternal regulators for the development of newborn cubs

Exosomal microRNAs in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) breast milk: potential maternal regulators for the development of newborn cubs

Seasonal shifts in giant panda feeding behavior: relationships to bamboo plant part consumption

Assessing Urinary Metabolomics in Giant Pandas Using Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry: Pregnancy-Related Changes in the Metabolome

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