Photoperiodic control of fur growth and reproduction in the mink (<i>Mustela vison</i>)

Duby, R.T.; Travis, H. F.

doi:10.1002/jez.1401820206

Cited by 37 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Photoperiod can serve as a trigger for the moulting cycle (Duby and Travis 1972;Mo et al 2000), but in many cases new fur growth, which is energetically costly, occurs sequentially with other energetically costly processes or conditions (but see King and Murphy 1985). For instance, the start of a moult cycle may be delayed in animals experiencing nutritional stress or in reproductively active females (e.g., Stewart and Macdonald 1997;Neuhaus 2000;Lu 2003).…”

Section: Moulting In Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Moulting matters: the importance of understanding moulting cycles in bats when using fur for endogenous marker analysis

2013

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Endogenous markers are a valuable indicator of individual animal ecology, but data interpretation requires a detailed understanding of the timing of tissue formation. Fur is commonly used in bat research using endogenous markers, but the moulting cycles of most bat species are not well documented. In this review, we (i) describe methods of investigating bat moulting; (ii) summarize the current literature on bat moulting cycles, highlighting broad trends; (iii) discuss knowledge gaps; and (iv) make recommendations for optimal fur sampling protocols. Three characteristics may indicate moulting in bats: changing skin pigmentation; visible fur growth and colour changes; and endogenous markers. Most studies reported new fur growth once annually during summer-fall, although there were exceptions. The timing of new fur growth varies among species, sexes, and age classes. Individuals commonly experience asynchronous new fur growth, with dorsal fur growth occurring before ventral. Specific moult progressions vary among species. Knowledge gaps include moulting cycles in tropical species and in subadult and yearling bats; migration during new fur growth; and the timing of fur growth compared with shedding. We recommend that fur samples taken dorsally from adult males are the most likely to be representative of the bat's site of summer residency.Résumé : Si les marqueurs endogènes constituent un indicateur utile de l'écologie individuelle des animaux, l'interprétation de ces données nécessite une compréhension détaillée du moment de la formation des tissus. Bien que le poil soit couramment utilisé dans la recherche sur les chauves-souris axée sur des marqueurs endogènes, les cycles de mue de la plupart des espèces de chauves-souris ne sont pas bien documentés. Dans le présent article, nous (i) décrivons des méthodes permettant d'étudier la mue des chauves-souris, (ii) présentons une synthèse des travaux existants sur les cycles de mue des chauves-souris pour en faire ressortir de grandes tendances, (iii) abordons les lacunes sur le plan des connaissances et (iv) formulons des recommandations relatives à des protocoles optimaux d'échantillonnage du poil. Trois caractéristiques pourraient indiquer qu'une chauve-souris est en mue, à savoir : un changement de la pigmentation de la peau, la croissance et des changements de couleur visibles des poils, ainsi que des marqueurs endogènes. Bien qu'il existe des exceptions, la plupart des études font état d'une croissance de nouveaux poils une fois l'an, à l'été-l'automne. Le moment de la croissance de nouveaux poils varie selon l'espèce, le sexe et la classe d'âge. Les individus présentent souvent une croissance non synchrone de nouveaux poils, la croissance des poils dorsaux étant plus hâtive que celle des poils ventraux. La progression de la mue varie également selon l'espèce. Les lacunes sur le plan des connaissances touchent notamment aux cycles de mue des espèces tropicales et des chauves-souris subadultes et d'un an, à la migration durant la croissance de nouveaux poils et au mo...

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Section: Moulting In Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Moulting matters: the importance of understanding moulting cycles in bats when using fur for endogenous marker analysis

2013

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“…This delay is terminated by lengthening of the photoperiod associated with the vernal equinox, which occurs in March in the Northern hemisphere (Enders 1952, Duby & Travis 1972, Murphy & James 1974, Martinet et al 1981, Sundqvist et al 1988. The proximal event in termination of pre-implantation delay is the secretion of prolactin that reinitiates corpus luteum (CL) development and the uterine-priming progesterone secretion (Papke et al 1980, Martinet et al 1981, Murphy et al 1981.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal expression pattern of progranulin in embryo implantation and placenta formation suggests a role in cell proliferation, remodeling, and angiogenesis

Desmarais¹,

Cao²,

Bateman³

et al. 2008

Reproduction

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Embryo implantation in the mink is preceded by a variable but obligate period of delay in development. Under the influence of progesterone and unknown luteal factors, the mink embryo implants 11-13 days following its exit from diapause. Recent work suggests that progranulin, a growth factor and secreted glycoprotein, is involved in trophoblast proliferation, placental development and endometrial differentiation in the mouse. Using the mink model of delayed implantation and endotheliochorial placentation, we examined the spatiotemporal distribution of progranulin in trophoblast and endometrium during pre-and early post-implantation gestation in vivo. A partial sequence of the mink progranulin gene was cloned and sequenced. Comparative sequence analysis revealed that exons 1 and 2 of mink progranulin share 86.6, 82.4, and 94.9% of nucleic acid sequence identity with the human, mouse, and dog sequences respectively, and indicated that the invariable residues of the cysteine-rich motifs of progranulin are well conserved in the mink sequence. By in situ hybridization, we show that mink progranulin transcript is present in the cytotrophoblast and in epithelial and stromal endometrial cells at the site of implantation and during early placental formation. Immunohistochemistry revealed the progranulin protein to be strongly expressed in endometrial luminal and glandular epithelium around the time of implantation. In the incipient labyrinth, progranulin expression is localized to cytotrophoblasts and fetal capillaries, as well as to the hypertrophied maternal endothelial cells. This study demonstrates that high levels of progranulin expression correspond to active cell proliferation, remodeling, and angiogenesis occurring during the establishment of the placenta in the mink.

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“…However, the supporting data for this assertion were gathered using visual methods (e.g., Murray 1957). As with birds, mammal molt can be triggered by altering photoperiod (Basset et al 1944;Duby and Travis 1972), and body washing can be used to quantify the impact of molt on mammal ectoparasites (Henry and McKeever 1971). A rigorous experimental test of the impact of molt on mammal ectoparasites should thus be feasible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of feather molt on ectoparasites: looks can be deceiving

2002

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Animals possess a variety of well-documented defenses against ectoparasites, including morphological, behavioral, and immune responses. Another possible defense that has received relatively little attention is the shedding of the host's exterior. The conventional wisdom is that ectoparasite abundance is reduced when birds molt their feathers, mammals molt their hair, and reptiles shed their skin. We carried out an experimental test of this hypothesis for birds by manipulating molt in feral pigeons (Columba livia) infested with feather lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera). We used two standard methods, visual examination and body washing, to quantify the abundance of lice on the birds. The visual data indicated a significant effect of molt on lice. However, the more robust body washing method showed that molt had no effect on louse abundance. Two factors caused visual examination to underestimate the number of lice on molting birds. First, molt replaces worn feathers with new, lush plumage that obscures lice during visual examination. Second, we discovered that lice actively seek refuge inside the sheath that encases developing feathers, where the lice cannot be seen. The apparent reduction in louse abundance caused by these factors may account for the conventional wisdom that feather molt reduces ectoparasite abundance in birds. In light of our experimental results, we argue that it is necessary to reinterpret the conclusions of previous studies that were based on observational data. Additional experiments are needed to test whether shedding of the host's exterior reduces ectoparasites in other birds, mammals, and reptiles, similar to the impact of facultative leaf drop on herbivorous insects on trees.

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Photoperiodic control of fur growth and reproduction in the mink (Mustela vison)

Cited by 37 publications

References 13 publications

Moulting matters: the importance of understanding moulting cycles in bats when using fur for endogenous marker analysis

Moulting matters: the importance of understanding moulting cycles in bats when using fur for endogenous marker analysis

Spatiotemporal expression pattern of progranulin in embryo implantation and placenta formation suggests a role in cell proliferation, remodeling, and angiogenesis

Impact of feather molt on ectoparasites: looks can be deceiving

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