<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html> <head> <title>UTas ePrints - Steroids and Reproductive Biology in the Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua nigrolutea</title> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/javascript/auto.js"><!-- padder --></script> <style type="text/css" media="screen">@import url(http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/auto.css);</style> <style type="text/css" media="print">@import url(http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/print.css);</style> <link rel="icon" href="/images/eprints/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/eprints/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" /> <link rel="Top" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/" /> <link rel="Search" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/search" /> <meta content="Edwards, Ashley" name="eprints.creators_name" /> <meta content="Ashley.Edwards@utas.edu.au" name="eprints.creators_id" /> <meta content="thesis" name="eprints.type" /> <meta content="2007-02-02" name="eprints.datestamp" /> <meta content="2008-01-08 15:30:00" name="eprints.lastmod" /> <meta content="show" name="eprints.metadata_visibility" /> <meta content="Steroids and Reproductive Biology in the Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua nigrolutea " name="eprints.title" /> <meta content="unpub" name="eprints.ispublished" /> <meta content="270604" name="eprints.subjects" /> <meta content="270603" name="eprints.subjects" /> <meta content="270503" name="eprints.subjects" /> <meta content="public" name="eprints.full_text_status" /> <meta content="Majority now published in A1 journals" name="eprints.note" /> <meta content="This thesis documents the annual profiles of the primary reproductive steroids testosterone (T), 17beta-oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), in the reproductive cycles of male and female blue-tongued lizards, Tiliqua nigrolutea. Data collected from a large captive population over three consecutive reproductive seasons are included. Reproductive cycles are discussed in the context of other viviparous squamate reptiles, while a broader comparative approach is used to consider patterns of steroid biosynthesis and peripheral metabolism. The annual patterns of circulating concentrations of T, E2 and P4 have been characterised for both sexes. In males, peak plasma T (10.9 +/- 3.00 ng ml-1) and E2 (778.0 +/- 120.00 pg ml-1) concentrations occur coincident with late spermatogenesis and observations of mating, respectively. Plasma P4 concentrations remain basal (< 1.2 ng ml-1) throughout the annual reproductive cycle. In females, increasing plasma E2 concentrations (275.2 +/- 33.87 pg ml-1 - 715.1 +/- 106.68 pg ml-1) are associated with vitellogenesis and plasma T peaks (6.3 +/- 0.63 ng ml-1) in the mating and peri-ovulatory period. In pregnant females, plasma P4 concentrations are elevated for the first two thirds of gestation, peaking in the second trimester at 12.7 +/- 1.27 ng ml-1 and falling rapidly prior to parturition. Concurrently, plasma P4 concentrations in non-reproductively active adult females remain basal (1 - 2 ng ml-1) throughout the year. There is good circumstantial evidence for a multiennial reproductive cycle in females. Parturition occurs late in the active season, presumably leaving little time for females to store sufficient fat reserves to become vitellogenic in the following spring: reproductive opportunities are effectively missed in at least one year following a reproductive effort. Observed reproductive behaviours, including agonistic male - male interactions, mating, and parturition, are documented. An investigation of gonadal steroid biosynthetic pathways in this viviparous squamate is presented. This compares variation in the relative contributions of the delta-4 and delta-5 steroidogenic pathways according to sex and reproductive condition. The delta-4 pathway predominates in both sexes, aligning this species phylogenetically with other reptiles. However, there are clear differences between sexes and with changing reproductive condition in the patterns of production of pathway intermediates and end-products. Additionally, detection of a possibly novel polar steroid as a major end-product of steroid biosynthesis in both sexes is reported. Peripheral (extragonadal) metabolism of T and E2 in a number of reproductively relevant steroid target tissues is compared at times of year chosen to represent three clearly distinctive reproductive conditions in each sex. There are differences both between sexes, between tissue types and with changing reproductive condition in the relative proportions of steroid conjugates and non-conjugated derivatives produced. Biosynthetic pathway activity and peripheral steroid metabolism both appear to be plastic in response to changing reproductive condition in Tiliqua nigrolutea. With a comprehensive database of information about the reproductive endocrinology and physiology of Tiliqua nigrolutea, this species is now available as a model to further examine selected aspects of the steroid hormone control of reproductive physiology and behaviour in a cool temperate, viviparous reptile. " name="eprints.abstract" /> <meta content="2000" name="eprints.date" /> <meta content="published" name="eprints.date_type" /> <meta content="217" name="eprints.pages" /> <meta content="University of Tasmania" name="eprints.institution" /> <meta content="School of Zoology" name="eprints.department" /> <meta content="phd" name="eprints.thesis_type" /> <meta content="Abell A.J. (1998). The effect of exogenous testosterone on growth and secondary sexual character development in juveniles of Sceloporus virgatus. 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Uribe M.C.A., Portales G.L.B. and Guillette L.J. Jr. (1996) Ovarian folliculogenesis in the oviparous Mexican lizard Ctenosaura pectinata. J. Morphol. 230 99-112. Van Den Hurk R., Schoonen W.G.E.J., Van Zoelen G.A., and Lambe" name="eprints.referencetext" /> <meta content="Edwards, Ashley (2000) Steroids and Reproductive Biology in the Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua nigrolutea. PhD thesis, University of Tasmania." name="eprints.citation" /> <meta content="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/1/front_matter_ashley.pdf" name="eprints.document_url" /> <meta content="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/2/whole_thesis.pdf" name="eprints.document_url" /> <link rel="schema.DC" href="http://purl.org/DC/elements/1.0/" /> <meta content="Steroids and Reproductive Biology in the Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua nigrolutea " name="DC.title" /> <meta content="Edwards, Ashley" name="DC.creator" /> <meta content="270604 Comparative Physiology" name="DC.subject" /> <meta content="270603 Animal Physiology - Systems" name="DC.subject" /> <meta content="270503 Animal Anatomy and Histology" name="DC.subject" /> <meta content="This thesis documents the annual profiles of the primary reproductive steroids testosterone (T), 17beta-oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), in the reproductive cycles of male and female blue-tongued lizards, Tiliqua nigrolutea. Data collected from a large captive population over three consecutive reproductive seasons are included. Reproductive cycles are discussed in the context of other viviparous squamate reptiles, while a broader comparative approach is used to consider patterns of steroid biosynthesis and peripheral metabolism. The annual patterns of circulating concentrations of T, E2 and P4 have been characterised for both sexes. In males, peak plasma T (10.9 +/- 3.00 ng ml-1) and E2 (778.0 +/- 120.00 pg ml-1) concentrations occur coincident with late spermatogenesis and observations of mating, respectively. Plasma P4 concentrations remain basal (< 1.2 ng ml-1) throughout the annual reproductive cycle. In females, increasing plasma E2 concentrations (275.2 +/- 33.87 pg ml-1 - 715.1 +/- 106.68 pg ml-1) are associated with vitellogenesis and plasma T peaks (6.3 +/- 0.63 ng ml-1) in the mating and peri-ovulatory period. In pregnant females, plasma P4 concentrations are elevated for the first two thirds of gestation, peaking in the second trimester at 12.7 +/- 1.27 ng ml-1 and falling rapidly prior to parturition. Concurrently, plasma P4 concentrations in non-reproductively active adult females remain basal (1 - 2 ng ml-1) throughout the year. There is good circumstantial evidence for a multiennial reproductive cycle in females. Parturition occurs late in the active season, presumably leaving little time for females to store sufficient fat reserves to become vitellogenic in the following spring: reproductive opportunities are effectively missed in at least one year following a reproductive effort. Observed reproductive behaviours, including agonistic male - male interactions, mating, and parturition, are documented. An investigation of gonadal steroid biosynthetic pathways in this viviparous squamate is presented. This compares variation in the relative contributions of the delta-4 and delta-5 steroidogenic pathways according to sex and reproductive condition. The delta-4 pathway predominates in both sexes, aligning this species phylogenetically with other reptiles. However, there are clear differences between sexes and with changing reproductive condition in the patterns of production of pathway intermediates and end-products. Additionally, detection of a possibly novel polar steroid as a major end-product of steroid biosynthesis in both sexes is reported. Peripheral (extragonadal) metabolism of T and E2 in a number of reproductively relevant steroid target tissues is compared at times of year chosen to represent three clearly distinctive reproductive conditions in each sex. There are differences both between sexes, between tissue types and with changing reproductive condition in the relative proportions of steroid conjugates and non-conjugated derivatives produced. Biosynthetic pathway activity and peripheral steroid metabolism both appear to be plastic in response to changing reproductive condition in Tiliqua nigrolutea. With a comprehensive database of information about the reproductive endocrinology and physiology of Tiliqua nigrolutea, this species is now available as a model to further examine selected aspects of the steroid hormone control of reproductive physiology and behaviour in a cool temperate, viviparous reptile. 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border: solid 1px #ccc; padding: 3px"><tr> <td align="left"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/users/home">Login</a> | <a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/register">Create Account</a></td> <td align="right" style="white-space: nowrap"> <form method="get" accept-charset="utf-8" action="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/search" style="display:inline"> <input class="ep_tm_searchbarbox" size="20" type="text" name="q" /> <input class="ep_tm_searchbarbutton" value="Search" type="submit" name="_action_search" /> <input type="hidden" name="_order" value="bytitle" /> <input type="hidden" name="basic_srchtype" value="ALL" /> <input type="hidden" name="_satisfyall" value="ALL" /> </form> </td> </tr></table></td></tr> <tr> <td class="toplinks"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="content" --> <div align="center"> <table width="720" class="ep_tm_main"><tr><td align="left"> <h1 class="ep_tm_pagetitle">Steroids and Reproductive Biology in the Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua nigrolutea</h1> <p style="margin-bottom: 1em" class="not_ep_block"><span class="person_name">Edwards, Ashley</span> (2000) <xhtml:em>Steroids and Reproductive Biology in the Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua nigrolutea.</xhtml:em> PhD thesis, University of Tasmania.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em" class="not_ep_block"></p><table style="margin-bottom: 1em" class="not_ep_block"><tr><td valign="top" style="text-align:center"><a onmouseover="EPJS_ShowPreview( event, 'doc_preview_679' );" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/1/front_matter_ashley.pdf" onmouseout="EPJS_HidePreview( event, 'doc_preview_679' );"><img alt="[img]" src="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png" class="ep_doc_icon" border="0" /></a><div class="ep_preview" id="doc_preview_679"><table><tr><td><img alt="" src="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/thumbnails/1/preview.png" class="ep_preview_image" border="0" /><div class="ep_preview_title">Preview</div></td></tr></table></div></td><td valign="top"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/1/front_matter_ashley.pdf"><span class="ep_document_citation">PDF (01: Front Matter)</span></a> - Requires a PDF viewer<br />62Kb</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" style="text-align:center"><a onmouseover="EPJS_ShowPreview( event, 'doc_preview_680' );" href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/2/whole_thesis.pdf" onmouseout="EPJS_HidePreview( event, 'doc_preview_680' );"><img alt="[img]" src="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png" class="ep_doc_icon" border="0" /></a><div class="ep_preview" id="doc_preview_680"><table><tr><td><img alt="" src="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/thumbnails/2/preview.png" class="ep_preview_image" border="0" /><div class="ep_preview_title">Preview</div></td></tr></table></div></td><td valign="top"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/667/2/whole_thesis.pdf"><span class="ep_document_citation">PDF (02: Whole Thesis)</span></a> - Requires a PDF viewer<br />2509Kb</td></tr></table><div class="not_ep_block"><h2>Abstract</h2><p style="padding-bottom: 16px; text-align: left; margin: 1em auto 0em auto">This thesis documents the annual profiles of the primary reproductive steroids testosterone (T), 17beta-oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), in the reproductive cycles of male and female blue-tongued lizards, Tiliqua nigrolutea. Data collected from a large captive population over three consecutive reproductive seasons are included. Reproductive cycles are discussed in the context of other viviparous squamate reptiles, while a broader comparative approach is used to consider patterns of steroid biosynthesis and peripheral metabolism. The annual patterns of circulating concentrations of T, E2 and P4 have been characterised for both sexes. In males, peak plasma T (10.9 +/- 3.00 ng ml-1) and E2 (778.0 +/- 120.00 pg ml-1) concentrations occur coincident with late spermatogenesis and observations of mating, respectively. Plasma P4 concentrations remain basal (< 1.2 ng ml-1) throughout the annual reproductive cycle. In females, increasing plasma E2 concentrations (275.2 +/- 33.87 pg ml-1 - 715.1 +/- 106.68 pg ml-1) are associated with vitellogenesis and plasma T peaks (6.3 +/- 0.63 ng ml-1) in the mating and peri-ovulatory period. In pregnant females, plasma P4 concentrations are elevated for the first two thirds of gestation, peaking in the second trimester at 12.7 +/- 1.27 ng ml-1 and falling rapidly prior to parturition. Concurrently, plasma P4 concentrations in non-reproductively active adult females remain basal (1 - 2 ng ml-1) throughout the year. There is good circumstantial evidence for a multiennial reproductive cycle in females. Parturition occurs late in the active season, presumably leaving little time for females to store sufficient fat reserves to become vitellogenic in the following spring: reproductive opportunities are effectively missed in at least one year following a reproductive effort. Observed reproductive behaviours, including agonistic male - male interactions, mating, and parturition, are documented. An investigation of gonadal steroid biosynthetic pathways in this viviparous squamate is presented. This compares variation in the relative contributions of the delta-4 and delta-5 steroidogenic pathways according to sex and reproductive condition. The delta-4 pathway predominates in both sexes, aligning this species phylogenetically with other reptiles. However, there are clear differences between sexes and with changing reproductive condition in the patterns of production of pathway intermediates and end-products. Additionally, detection of a possibly novel polar steroid as a major end-product of steroid biosynthesis in both sexes is reported. Peripheral (extragonadal) metabolism of T and E2 in a number of reproductively relevant steroid target tissues is compared at times of year chosen to represent three clearly distinctive reproductive conditions in each sex. There are differences both between sexes, between tissue types and with changing reproductive condition in the relative proportions of steroid conjugates and non-conjugated derivatives produced. Biosynthetic pathway activity and peripheral steroid metabolism both appear to be plastic in response to changing reproductive condition in Tiliqua nigrolutea. With a comprehensive database of information about the reproductive endocrinology and physiology of Tiliqua nigrolutea, this species is now available as a model to further examine selected aspects of the steroid hormone control of reproductive physiology and behaviour in a cool temperate, viviparous reptile. </p></div><table style="margin-bottom: 1em" cellpadding="3" class="not_ep_block" border="0"><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Item Type:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">Thesis (PhD)</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Additional Information:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">Majority now published in A1 journals</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Subjects:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row"><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/view/subjects/270604.html">270000 Biological Sciences > 270600 Physiology > 270604 Comparative Physiology</a><br /><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/view/subjects/270603.html">270000 Biological Sciences > 270600 Physiology > 270603 Animal Physiology - Systems</a><br /><a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/view/subjects/270503.html">270000 Biological Sciences > 270500 Zoology > 270503 Animal Anatomy and Histology</a></td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">ID Code:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">667</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Deposited By:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row"><span class="ep_name_citation"><span class="person_name">Dr Ashley Edwards</span></span></td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Deposited On:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">02 Feb 2007</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">Last Modified:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row">09 Jan 2008 02:30</td></tr><tr><th valign="top" class="ep_row">ePrint Statistics:</th><td valign="top" class="ep_row"><a target="ePrintStats" href="/es/index.php?action=show_detail_eprint;id=667;">View statistics for this ePrint</a></td></tr></table><p align="right">Repository Staff Only: <a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/cgi/users/home?screen=EPrint::View&eprintid=667">item control page</a></p> </td></tr></table> </div> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --></td> </tr> <tr> <td><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/footer_eprints.lbi" --> <table width="795" border="0" align="left" cellpadding="0" class="footer"> <tr valign="top"> <td colspan="2"><div align="center"><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au">UTAS home</a> | <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/library/">Library home</a> | <a href="/">ePrints home</a> | <a href="/contact.html">contact</a> | <a href="/information.html">about</a> | <a href="/view/">browse</a> | <a href="/perl/search/simple">search</a> | <a href="/perl/register">register</a> | <a href="/perl/users/home">user area</a> | <a href="/help/">help</a></div><br /></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2"><p><img src="/images/eprints/footerline.gif" width="100%" height="4" /></p></td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="68%" class="footer">Authorised by the University Librarian<br /> © University of Tasmania ABN 30 764 374 782<br /> <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/cricos/">CRICOS Provider Code 00586B</a> | <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/copyright/copyright_disclaimers.html">Copyright & Disclaimers</a> | <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/accessibility/index.html">Accessibility</a> | <a href="http://eprints.utas.edu.au/feedback/">Site Feedback</a> </td> <td width="32%"><div align="right"> <p align="right" class="NoPrint"><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/"><img src="http://www.utas.edu.au/shared/logos/unioftasstrip.gif" alt="University of Tasmania Home Page" width="260" height="16" border="0" align="right" /></a></p> <p align="right" class="NoPrint"><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/"><br /> </a></p> </div></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td><p> </p></td> <td><div align="right"><span class="NoPrint"><a href="http://www.eprints.org/software/"><img src="/images/eprintslogo.gif" alt="ePrints logo" width="77" height="29" border="0" align="bottom" /></a></span></div></td> </tr> </table> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --> <div align="center"></div></td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>