Biomaterial Database

Sexual dimorphism on the immune responses of the snake, Psammophis sibilans. 1988

A H Saad, and N Shoukrey

Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt.

Recent trends in research have documented the influence of sex factors on the immune response of higher vertebrates. The present study is the first to indicate the existence of sex-dependent differences in the immune potentiality in reptiles. In optimal seasonal conditions, kinetics of the primary anti-rat erythrocytes (RRBC) antibody response were compared in individual male and female snakes, Psammophis sibilans. Antigen specific rosette forming cells (RFC) were enumerated in the spleen after in vivo primary immunization with 0.5 ml of 10% RRBC. A greater RFC activity as well as highest antibody titers were noted in females as compared to males. In addition, the peak of primary antibody response to RRBC in males was somewhat delayed in comparison with females. A similar pattern of sex-dependent differences was also observed regarding mitogen responsiveness to Con A, PHA and LPS with female lymphocytes being always the highest responders. In conclusion, female snakes demonstrated an elevated response in almost all comparative tests. Thereafter, at least under physiological conditions, our observations suggest a possible influence of sex hormones as immunoenhancers/immunosuppressors in reptiles.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008213	Lymphocyte Activation	Morphologic alteration of small B LYMPHOCYTES or T LYMPHOCYTES in culture into large blast-like cells able to synthesize DNA and RNA and to divide mitotically. It is induced by INTERLEUKINS; MITOGENS such as PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININS, and by specific ANTIGENS. It may also occur in vivo as in GRAFT REJECTION.	Blast Transformation,Blastogenesis,Lymphoblast Transformation,Lymphocyte Stimulation,Lymphocyte Transformation,Transformation, Blast,Transformation, Lymphoblast,Transformation, Lymphocyte,Activation, Lymphocyte,Stimulation, Lymphocyte
D008297	Male		Males
D008934	Mitogens	Substances that stimulate mitosis and lymphocyte transformation. They include not only substances associated with LECTINS, but also substances from streptococci (associated with streptolysin S) and from strains of alpha-toxin-producing staphylococci. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Mitogen,Phytomitogen,Phytomitogens
D004306	Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic	A specific immune response elicited by a specific dose of an immunologically active substance or cell in an organism, tissue, or cell.	Immunologic Dose-Response Relationship,Relationship, Immunologic Dose-Response,Dose Response Relationship, Immunologic,Dose-Response Relationships, Immunologic,Immunologic Dose Response Relationship,Immunologic Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Immunologic Dose Response,Relationships, Immunologic Dose-Response
D004912	Erythrocytes	Red blood cells. Mature erythrocytes are non-nucleated, biconcave disks containing HEMOGLOBIN whose function is to transport OXYGEN.	Blood Cells, Red,Blood Corpuscles, Red,Red Blood Cells,Red Blood Corpuscles,Blood Cell, Red,Blood Corpuscle, Red,Erythrocyte,Red Blood Cell,Red Blood Corpuscle
D005260	Female		Females
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000917	Antibody Formation	The production of ANTIBODIES by proliferating and differentiated B-LYMPHOCYTES under stimulation by ANTIGENS.	Antibody Production,Antibody Response,Antibody Responses,Formation, Antibody,Production, Antibody,Response, Antibody,Responses, Antibody
D012397	Rosette Formation	The in vitro formation of clusters consisting of a cell (usually a lymphocyte) surrounded by antigenic cells or antigen-bearing particles (usually erythrocytes, which may or may not be coated with antibody or antibody and complement). The rosette-forming cell may be an antibody-forming cell, a memory cell, a T-cell, a cell bearing surface cytophilic antibodies, or a monocyte possessing Fc receptors. Rosette formation can be used to identify specific populations of these cells.	Immunocytoadherence,Formation, Rosette,Formations, Rosette,Immunocytoadherences,Rosette Formations
D012727	Sex Characteristics	Those characteristics that distinguish one SEX from the other. The primary sex characteristics are the OVARIES and TESTES and their related hormones. Secondary sex characteristics are those which are masculine or feminine but not directly related to reproduction.	Gender Characteristics,Gender Differences,Gender Dimorphism,Sex Differences,Sex Dimorphism,Sexual Dichromatism,Sexual Dimorphism,Characteristic, Gender,Characteristic, Sex,Dichromatism, Sexual,Dichromatisms, Sexual,Difference, Sex,Dimorphism, Gender,Dimorphism, Sex,Dimorphism, Sexual,Gender Characteristic,Gender Difference,Gender Dimorphisms,Sex Characteristic,Sex Difference,Sex Dimorphisms,Sexual Dichromatisms,Sexual Dimorphisms