Quantifying Stress in Marine Mammals: Measuring Biologically Active Cortisol in Cetaceans and Pinnipeds

Abstract

This research will improve our ability to measure stress in marine mammals. Stress hormones (glucocorticoids either cortisol or corticosterone) are easily measured in blood and are an important measure of stress. However, a large proportion of glucocorticoids are bound by a protein in blood (corticosteroid binding globulin, CBG) and do not have immediate biological effects. Immediate biological effects are best estimated by measuring "free glucocorticoid" levels (i.e. that hormone not bound by CBG). This project will improve the capacity of marine mammal researchers to measure free glucocorticoid levels.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2015
Accession Number
AD1013971

Entities

People

  • Rudy Boonstra

Organizations

  • University of Toronto Scarborough

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cells
  • Cetaceans
  • Cortisol
  • Fibers
  • Fur
  • Glass Fibers
  • Globulins
  • Mammals
  • Marine Mammals
  • Proteins
  • Sea Lions
  • Universities

Readers

  • Marine Mammal Biology
  • Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.