The gall of subordination: changes in gall bladder function associated with social stress

Earley, Ryan L.; Blumer, Lawrence S.; Grober, Matthew S.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2003.2558

Cited by 36 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Pathological reactions such as bile retention and immunosuppression were also reported for cichlid s-males (Faisal et al 1989, Earley et al 2004. Permanent stress affects testis development negatively (Wendelaar Bonga 1997, Celino et al 2009, Schreck 2010, Trubiroha et al 2011) and this conclusion is also supported by the observation that temperature decrease leads to spermatogenic arrest at late pachytene spermatocytes in sexually mature Nile tilapia males (Vilela et al 2003).…”

Section: Social Hierarchy and Spermatogenesis In D-and S-malessupporting

confidence: 73%

The social status of the male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) influences testis structure and gene expression

Pfennig¹,

Kurth²,

Meißner³

et al. 2012

Reproduction

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Dominant and territorial behaviour are known social phenomena in cichlids and social stress influences reproduction and growth. The gonadotropic hormones trigger spermatogenesis and subordinate males have typically lower levels of gonadotropins than dominant males. In this study, we compared testis morphology and gene expression of dominant and subordinate Nile tilapia males (d-and s-males) in socially stable communities. The d-males had the highest gonadosomatic index but they were not the largest animals in the majority of studied cases. Long-term d-males showed large groups of Leydig cells and hyperplasia of the tunica albuginea due to numerous cytochrome-P450-11b-hydroxylase (Cyp11b) expressing myoid cells. Increased Cyp11b expression in d-males was reflected by elevated 11-ketotestosterone plasma values. However, immunofluorescence microscopy and expression analysis of selected genes revealed that most s-males conserved their capability for spermatogenesis and are, therefore, ready for reproduction when the social environment changes. Moreover, in s-males gene expression analysis by quantitative RT-PCR showed increased transcript levels for germ line-specific genes (vasa, sox2 and dmc1) and Sertoli-specific genes (amh, amhrII and dmrt1) whereas gene expression of key factors for steroid production (sf1 and cyp11b) were reduced. The Nile tilapia is a promising model to study social cues and gonadotropic signals on testis development in vertebrates.

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Section: Social Hierarchy and Spermatogenesis In D-and S-malessupporting

confidence: 73%

The social status of the male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) influences testis structure and gene expression

Pfennig¹,

Kurth²,

Meißner³

et al. 2012

Reproduction

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“…Subordinate animals have been reported to decrease movement rates, modify their spatial orientation, lose body mass, increase their level of risk assessment, and experience suppression of humoral immunity (e.g. Earley, Blumer & Grober, 2004). Increased testosterone and corticosteroid levels, often associated with winning and losing experiences, respectively, can decrease immune system responses (Buchanan, 2000 ;Casto, Nolan & Ketterson, 2001) but it is unknown whether these hormones exert independent influences on immune suppression (Slater & Schreck, 1993;Casto et al, 2001).…”

Section: Mechanisms Of Experience Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modulation of aggressive behaviour by fighting experience: mechanisms and contest outcomes

2005

Self Cite

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Experience in aggressive contests often affects behaviour during, and the outcome of, later contests. This review discusses evidence for, variations in, and consequences of such effects. Generally, prior winning experiences increase, and prior losing experiences decrease, the probability of winning in later contests, reflecting modifications of expected fighting ability. We examine differences in the methodologies used to study experience effects, and the relative importance and persistence of winning and losing experiences within and across taxa. We review the voluminous, but somewhat disconnected, literature on the neuroendocrine mechanisms that mediate experience effects. Most studies focus on only one of a number of possible mechanisms without providing a comprehensive view of how these mechanisms are integrated into overt behaviour. More carefully controlled work on the mechanisms underlying experience effects is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. Behavioural changes during contests that relate to prior experience fall into two general categories. Losing experiences decrease willingness to engage in a contest while winning experiences increase willingness to escalate a contest. As expected from the sequential assessment model of contest behaviour, experiences become less important to outcomes of contests that escalate to physical fighting.A limited number of studies indicate that integration of multiple experiences can influence current contest behaviour. Details of multiple experience integration for any species are virtually unknown. We propose a simple additive model for this integration of multiple experiences into an individual's expected fighting ability. The model accounts for different magnitudes of experience effects and the possible decline in experience effects over time. Predicting contest outcomes based on prior experiences requires an algorithm that translates experience differences into contest outcomes. We propose two general types of model, one based solely on individual differences in integrated multiple experiences and the other based on the probability contests reach the escalated phase. The difference models include four algorithms reflecting possible decision rules that convert the perceived fighting abilities of two rivals into their probabilities of winning. The second type of algorithm focuses on how experience influences the probability that a subsequent contest will escalate and the fact that escalated contests may not be influenced by prior experience. Neither type of algorithm has been systematically investigated.Finally, we review models for the formation of dominance hierarchies that assume that prior experience influences contest outcome. Numerous models have reached varied conclusions depending on which factors examined in this review are included. We know relatively little about the importance of and variation in experience effects in nature and how they influence the dynamics of aggressive interactions in social groups and random assemblages of individuals. Resear...

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“…Amatitlania nigrofasciata has also been frequently used in fish behaviour studies (Arnott et al, 2011;Dechaume-Moncharmont et al, 2011;Moscicki et al, 2011;Chee et al, 2012;van Breukelen, 2013). In one behaviour study, social stress was reported to be associated with gallbladder hypertrophy and increased bile retention (Earley et al, 2004). This study aims to determine and document the detailed macroscopical and histological structure of the AT of A. nigrofasciata.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gross morphology and histology of the alimentary tract of the convict cichlid Amatitlania nigrofasciata

Hopperdietzel

Hirschberg

Hünigen

et al. 2014

Journal of Fish Biology

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The primary objectives of this study were to document the macroscopic and histological structure of the alimentary tract (AT) of the convict cichlid Amatitlania nigrofasciata, because there are no data available for this omnivorous freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae. The morphology of the AT of A. nigrofasciata resembles that of related species. While having morphological criteria of the AT typical of most omnivorous fishes, such as a blind sac stomach and medium length intestine, A. nigrofasciata also has some structural peculiarities: the oesophagus is lined by a uniform stratified squamous epithelial layer with interspersed goblet cells along its entire length. Additionally, it has well-developed layers of the tunica muscularis including muscle fibre bundles that ascend into its mucosal folds. Occasionally, taste buds are present. In the transitional area between oesophagus and stomach, a prominent torus-like closure device is present. The mucosa of the stomach cannot be divided into different regions according to mucosal and morphological properties. The simple pattern of intestinal loops of A. nigrofasciata has few variations, irrespective of sex, mass and length of the individual fish. The first segment of the intestine is characterized by the largest mucososerosal ratio and the most complex mucosal surface architecture. A distinction of midgut and hindgut was not possible in A. nigrofasciata due to lack of defining structural components as described for other fish species.

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The gall of subordination: changes in gall bladder function associated with social stress

Cited by 36 publications

References 44 publications

The social status of the male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) influences testis structure and gene expression

The social status of the male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) influences testis structure and gene expression

Modulation of aggressive behaviour by fighting experience: mechanisms and contest outcomes

Gross morphology and histology of the alimentary tract of the convict cichlid Amatitlania nigrofasciata

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