title: The interrenal gland in males of the cichlid fish Cichlasoma dimerus: relationship with stress and the establishment of social hierarchies.
abstract: In teleosts, cortisol is the primary glucocorticoid secreted by the steroidogenic cells of the interrenal gland and an increase in its plasma concentration is a frequent indicator of stress. Cortisol has been postulated as an endogenous mediator involved in the regulation of reproduction and aggression related to social dynamics. The cichlid fish Cichlasoma dimerus, is a monogamous species that exhibits complex social hierarchies; males appear in one of two basic alternative phenotypes: non-territorial and territorial males. In this work, we postulated as a general hypothesis that the morphometry of the interrenal gland cells and the plasma levels of cortisol and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) are related to the social rank in adult males of C. dimerus. First, the location and distribution of the interrenal gland with respect to its context - the kidney - was studied. Plasma levels of cortisol and 11-KT in territorial and non-territorial males were established by ELISA. Finally, a morphometric analysis of steroidogenic and chromaffin cells of the interrenal gland was performed. Results showed that the interrenal gland was exclusively located in the posterior portion of the cephalic kidney. Non-territorial males presented a greater nuclear area of their steroidogenic cells. Additionally, plasma cortisol and 11-KT levels were lower and higher, respectively, in territorial males. Finally, plasma cortisol levels positively correlated with the nuclear area of interrenal steroidogenic cells. Thus, the interrenal gland, by means of one of its products, cortisol, may be fulfilling an important role in the establishment of social hierarchies and their stability.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, (C1428EHA) Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Leonel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morandini
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências-USP, Rua do Matão, travessa 14, n.321, sala 220 Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renato Massaaki
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Honji
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, (C1428EHA) Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Martín Roberto
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ramallo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências-USP, Rua do Matão, travessa 14, n.321, sala 220 Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Guimarães
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, (C1428EHA) Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: pandolfi@bg.fcen.uba.ar.
authors.forename: Matías
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pandolfi
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D000818:Animals; D023681:Cichlids / Q000502:physiology*; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007401:Interrenal Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013731:Territoriality; D013739:Testosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; C003600:11-ketotestosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Cichlids; Cortisol; Interrenal gland; Social hierarchies; Stress