Incidence of a heterosis effect in adrenal responsiveness to ACTH stimulation in the chicken.
No differences exist between basal plasma corticosterone concentrations of broilers ferals and first generation large crossbreds (White leghorn x New Hampshire). Crossbreds show near double adrenal responsiveness to synthetic ACTH administration, indicating a heterosis effect for this characteristic. Extraction of chicken plasma with 30% aqueous polyethylene glycol solution eliminates the need for tedious and expensive pre-assay purification of plasma.
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006823:Hybrid Vigor; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone