reproduction in primate

8/13/2019 reproduction in primate

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Comparative aspects of reproduction inComparative aspects of reproduction in

female primatesfemale primates

Seasonality

Ovarian cycles

Pregnancy


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Jan

Feb

Mar Ap

rM

ayJun

Jul

AugSe

pOct

Nov

Dec

0

20

40

60

80Annual distribution of birth (%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

Most species exhibit some seasonal variation in timing of births

HighHigh degreedegree ofof variationvariation -- fromfrom mild to extrememild to extreme

SeasonalitySeasonality in Primatesin Primates


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Taxonomic group Degree of seasonality

Prosimians

Malagasy +++Galagos/Iorises +++/++

Tarsiers ++/??

New World monkeys

Callitrichidae ++/+Cebidae

Saimiri ++

Others (howlers) +/-

Old World monkeys

Cercopithecinae ++/+ (>20 from equator)+/- (


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PrimatesGeographical distribution

Prosimians

Anthropoids


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Seasonality: Causal factors

1 Photoperiod

Latitudinal gradients-rhesus/Japanese macaques-higher latitudes, more strictly

seasonalLemurs-breeding onset at reduced photoperiod (very sensitive, ie 0.5h change)

2 Rainfall and vegetation

Expect to be important in equatorial regions where light (temperature)

differences are minimal

Wet season births (eg Saimiri and other Neo-tropicals)-linked to food

abundance during weaning. Thus, nutrition one of the main influences

3 Proximate causes

If rainfall (food availability) coincides with births/weaning, what triggers onset of

mating behaviour (and conception) 5-6 months earlier???


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Reproductive Seasonality in Hanuman Langurs

JanFebar

Apr ay

JunJ

ulAugSepOctNovDec

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Number

Koenig et al., 1997

Distribution of births


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Hanuman Langurs: Faecal Progestin Profiles

Proge

stin

(g/g)

0

5

10

15

20

June July August

Conc

Female O2

Proge

stin

(g/g)

0

10

20

30

40

May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov

Female O7

Ov Ov Conc

Ziegler et al, 2001


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Onset of ovarian

cycles

A M J J A S O N

A M J J A S O N

Month of year

Onset of ovarian

cycles

n = 7

Rainfall Female condition

Seasonal onset of ovarian cyclicity in relation to rainfall andbody condition in Hanuman langurs (Ramnagar)

Ziegler et al, 2001


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Ovarian cycles

Oestrous cycle

Term oestrus or heat refers to brief, restricted and intense period

of sexual receptivity/urge

Menstrual cycle

Term menstruation, initially used for human female, refers to

discharge of blood from uterus at approximately monthly intervals

(Latin mensis=month). Absent in prosimians, most New Worldmonkeys


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Ovulation

Post-ovulatory

Luteal or

secretory phase

Pre-ovulatory

Follicular or

proliferative phase

Component phases of the primate ovarian cycle


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Gonadotrophin (LH

and FSH) and steroid

hormone (E2 and P)

profiles during theprimate ovarian cycle.

Hormone levels and

timing of events are

based on the humancycle


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Monitoring the menstrual cycle

Alan McNei lly


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Endocrine changes in menstrual cycle


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Ovarian cycle

- repetitive expression of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian axis, with

associated structural and functional changes in target tissues of the

reproductive tract

Brain-pituitary-ovary-uterus/oviduct

Behaviour-mating

Gamete-release mature egg

Reproductive tract-fertilization and implantation

Co-ordination of events at multiple levels:


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Control mechanisms

Pulsatile secretion of gonadotrophins

Feedback mechanisms Follicle selection

Ovary is Zeitgeber


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Pulsatile LH secretion and the menstrual cycle

Follicular Luteal

LH pulse frequency 1 per h 1 per 4h


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The GnRH pulse generator


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When the follicle is ready to ovulate, estradiol triggers a

surge release of GnRH switching LH secretion switches

from pulsatile to surge type


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The ovary is Zeitgeber


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Menstrual cycle characteristics in thelowland gorilla

26 - 3930.4 1.5Total cycle (days)

12 - 1514.0 0.4Luteal phase (days)

12 - 2416.4 1.5Follicular phase (days)

RangeMean s.e.m.

(From Czekala et al., 1988)


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Relative standard deviation of luteal

phase length

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Freque

ncy

1.0

(S.D. luteal phase / S.D. follicular phase)

(16 species)

From van Schaik, Hodges and Nunn, 2002


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Total cycle Follicular phase Luteal phase

Radiation

Prosimians

New World

Old World

ANOVA:

Post-hoc:

N x SD

19 33.77 7.91

20 20.03 5.84

38 31.01 3.67

N x SD

3 7.33 4.04

8 6.90 2.15

22 14.99 3.37

N x SD

4 26.38 1.78

8 13.54 4.83

21 14.94 1.58

F[2,74]=35.71***

Pla


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Mating periods within the ovarian cycle of primates

3-18

3-12

Cercopithecoidea- Cercopithecinae

- Colobinae

4-15Hominoidea

5-12

2-8

Ceboidea

- Callitrichidae

- Cebidae

1Tarsoidea

1-2Lorisoidea

1-3Lemuroidea

Median mating period

(range)

Superfamily/Family


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Why extend the receptive period?

multiple mating partners possible

male monopolization more difficult

To promote promiscuity


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IncreasedIncreased promiscuitypromiscuity isis linkedlinked to ato a femalefemale strategystrategytoto protectprotect herher ownown reproductivereproductive interestsinterests

improved group defense, reduced predation risk

increased paternal carereduced risk of infanticide

increased genetic diversity

reduced risk of fertilization with low quality sperm

potential for female to influence paternity outcome

Help maximize female reproductive output; quality vs quantity

Potential benefits include:


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Why extend the receptive period?

multiple mating partners possible

male monopolization more difficult

To promote promiscuity

Requires that timing of ovulation is unpredictable


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Hanuman Langurs: Receptive Periods and Timing of Ovulation

Receptive periods

Number of ovulations

days relative to ovulation

-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12

**

**

*

*

**

*= conception cycles

% of receptive period

0-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100

From Heistermann et al, 2001


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0

510

15

20

25

0

10

20

30

40

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6

0.0

0.8

1.6

2.4

Days from ovulation

Female solicitations

Copulations

Copulations persolicitation

Sexual behaviour in relation to time of ovulation

%o

ftotal

%o

ftotal

N

umber

From Heistermann et al, 2001


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Male rank

1 2 3 extra-group

%C

opulatio

ns

Numberofinfants

Male rank, copulations and paternity outcomein Hanuman langurs

0

10

20

3040

50

60

0

1

2

3


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PregnancyPregnancy


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cl formation cl regression

Ovulation

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P (non-fertile)

P (fertile)

CG

Implantation

Window cl rescue

15

Maternal recognition of pregnancy corpus luteum rescue

Luteo-

placental

shift

30-40


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Radiation

Prosimians

New World

Old World

ANOVA:

Post-hoc:

N x SD

19 33.77 7.91

20 20.03 5.84

38 31.01 3.67

N x SD

3 7.33 4.04

8 6.90 2.15

22 14.99 3.37

N x SD

4 26.38 1.78

8 13.54 2.33

21 14.94 1.58

F[2,74]=35.71***

Pla


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Significance of extended luteal phasein Prosimians

at 28 days, luteal phase approaches timing of onset

of luteo-placental shift in Anthropoid primates

endocrine response to conception is minimal

no detectable chorionic gonadotrophin; gene for CG absent

no corpus luteum rescue comparable to that seen in

Anthropoid primates


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Radiation

Prosimians

New World

Old World

ANOVA:

Post-hoc:

N x SD

19 33.77 7.91

20 20.03 5.84

38 31.01 3.67

N x SD

3 7.33 4.04

8 6.90 2.15

22 14.99 3.37

N x SD

4 26.38 1.78

8 13.54 2.33

21 14.94 1.58

F[2,74]=35.71***

Pla


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cl formation cl regression

Ovulation

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P (non-fertile)

P (fertile)

CG

Implantation

Window cl rescue

15

Maternal recognition of pregnancy corpus luteum rescue


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Timing of Key Events Occurring During Early Pregnancy in Primates

Species Gestation *Embryo *CG first *Luteo-

length attachment detected placental(days) shift

Marmoset

Rhesus

Baboon

Chimpanzee

Human

* approximate days after ovulation

144

168

184

235

280

10-11

8-10

8-10

7-8

7-8

13

12

12

11

10

40-60

20-25

20-30

?

40-50


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Relationship between gestation length and maternal

body weight in primates


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Deviation from expected gestation length in Callitrichid monkeys


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Schematic diagramme of the main hormonal changes

during human pregnancy


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Progesterone

Oestrone (E1)

Oestriol (E3)

O E i d i P i L


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Oestrogen Excretion during Pregnancy in Lemurs

Eulemur coronatus

Estrogen Excretion during Pregnancy in Lemurs


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Estrogen Excretion during Pregnancy in Lemurs

-130

-120

-110

-100-9

0-8

0-7

0-6

0-5

0-4

0-3

0-2

0-1

0 0 10 20 30

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Col 1 vs Elba-Eges

-130

-120

-110

-100-9

0-8

0-7

0-6

0-5

0-4

0-3

0-2

0-1

0 0 10 20 30

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Male fetus

Female fetus

C

C

Days before and after birth

Days before and after birth

Et

(

g/g

fae

ces)

Et

(

g/g

fa

ece

s)

Individual profiles

Lack of early gestational

estrogen rise

Estrogen production dependent onfetal sex

0

5

10

15

20

25

E. rubriventer

E. flavifrons

E. coronatus

H. griseus

Relation to sex of fetus

Et

(

g/g

fa

ece

s)

M F

Primates


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Primates

Highly successful, widespread and diverse


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.the end


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Field Endocrinology

Combines laboratory and field-based methodologies

Contributes to more integrated approach

Ecology

Genetics BehaviourPhysiology

Infectious diseases


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reproduction in primate

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