A heterologous assay for measuring prolactin in pituitary extracts and plasma from Australian flying foxes (genus Pteropus)

General and Comparative Endocrinology
G M O'BrienL Martin

Abstract

A sensitive heterologous assay was developed to measure prolactin-like activity in Pteropus alecto, P. poliocephalus, and P. scapulatus, Australian flying foxes. Adapted from an established radioimmunoassay for rabbit PRL, it utilises the well-characterised, polyclonal antiserum 33/9 (guinea pig anti-human prolactin). In the assay, pituitary extracts from P. alecto, P. poliocephalus, and P. scapulatus diluted in parallel with ovine prolactin standards, although absolute levels estimated were low. Its usefulness for investigating the role of prolactin in reproduction and seasonality in flying foxes was tested. In a survey of pituitary extracts collected from both sexes of all three species, prolactin was higher in females than in males (P < 0.001). In the few specimens from juveniles, mean prolactin levels in pituitary and plasma were similar to those of adults. Plasma and pituitary samples both contained higher concentrations of prolactin during late pregnancy (P. scapulatus, plasma P < 0.01; pituitary P < 0.01) and lactation (P. poliocephalus, plasma P < 0.005; pituitary P < 0.05) in mature females. Plasma prolactin increased at about the time of parturition, but returned to nonpregnant levels rapidly if lactation was not esta...Continue Reading

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