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Variation of urinary reproductive hormones of a captive female African elephant during gestation

  

  • Online:2012-05-24 Published:2012-05-20

圈养雌性非洲象妊娠期尿中性激素水平的变化

刘学锋,张耀华,秦志刚,王璐,原蕾,张轶卓   

  1. 北京动物园

Abstract: In this study we monitored the urinary levels of progesterone (P),estradiol (E2),estriol (E3)and chorionic gonadotropin (CG)of a female African elephant (Loxodonta africana)during pregnancy using radioimmunoassay. It was shown that progesterone levels increased gradually during early pregnancy,peaking at the 4th - 6th month of pregnancy and then dropping to the basal level at delivery. The estriol concentration decreased slowly during gestation,whereas the estradiol level did not change significantly during pregnancy. This is the first report of CG during gestation of African elephant. CG level was almost undetectable in the first three month of pregnancy,and it began to rise slowly after the progesterone
peak (4 - 6 month of gestation). These results provide references for changes of P and CG in pregnancy.

关键词: 非洲象, 妊娠期, 尿, 生殖激素