title: Development of an animal-borne blood sample collection device and its deployment for the determination of cardiovascular and stress hormones in phocid seals.
abstract: An animal-borne blood sampler with data-logging functions was developed for phocid seals, which collected two blood samples for the comparison of endocrinological/biochemical parameters under two different conditions. The sampler can be triggered by preset hydrostatic pressure, acceleration (descending or ascending), temperature, and time, and also manually by light. The sampling was reliable with 39/50 (78%) successful attempts to collect blood samples. Contamination of fluids in the tubing to the next blood sample was <1%, following the prior clearance of the tubing to a waste syringe. In captive harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), the automated blood-sampling method was less stressful than direct blood withdrawal, as evidenced by lower levels of stress hormones (P< 0.05 for ACTH andP= 0.078 for cortisol). HPLC analyses showed that both cortisol and cortisone were circulating in seal blood. Using the sampler, plasma levels of cardiovascular hormones, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), AVP, and ANG II were compared in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), between samples collected when the animals were on land and in the water. HPLC analyses determined that [Met12] ANP (1-28) and various forms of angiotensins (ANG II, III, and IV) were circulating in seal blood. Although water immersion profoundly changes the plasma levels of cardiovascular hormones in terrestrial mammals, there were only tendencies toward an increase in ANP (P= 0.069) and a decrease in AVP (P= 0.074) in the seals. These results suggest that cardiovascular regulation in phocid seals may have undergone adaptation during evolution of the carnivore to a semiaquatic lifestyle.
authors: Department of Marine Bioscience, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan; and takei@aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors: Yoshio
authors: Y
authors: Takei
authors: Department of Marine Bioscience, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan; and.
authors: Ippei
authors: I
authors: Suzuki
authors: Department of Marine Bioscience, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan; and.
authors: Marty K S
authors: MKS
authors: Wong
authors: Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland.
authors: Ryan
authors: R
authors: Milne
authors: Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Moss
authors: Department of Marine Bioscience, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan; and.
authors: Katsufumi
authors: K
authors: Sato
authors: Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland.
authors: Ailsa
authors: A
authors: Hall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D013594:Syringes
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor
keywords: cardiovascular hormone; data logger; gravity; sea mammal; stress hormone