Endocrine Correlates of Growth and Development in the Awash Baboons

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。本研究将分析血清样本和先前从埃塞俄比亚阿瓦什国家公园的野生狒狒种群中收集的相关形态测量数据。这些血清样本是在14个野外季节收集的，包括种群中整个年龄段的样本。利用酶免疫分析技术，本研究将量化7种与生长和炎症相关的激素和蛋白质的水平，以验证以下假设：1)两种狒狒不同生长轨迹的内分泌相关因素，包括体重的不同变化模式；2)杂交生长轨迹独特方面的激素基础；3)野生狒狒种群与圈养狒狒种群在生长和成熟相关激素方面的比较。智力优势：这项研究的结果将阐明生长和成年尺寸差异的生理机制。它们还将提供一个基本框架，帮助理解如何在机械层面上完成发展事件的时间和持续时间的变化。这解决了关于可塑性和发育的重要问题，并谈到了生长、发育和衰老的进化，从而进一步加深了我们对灵长类动物个体发育进化的理解。更广泛的影响：本项目将雇用一名专业的全职技术人员，并在研究期间将有一些本科生和研究生作为研究实习生参与。此外，该研究项目的许多方面将被整合到本科和研究生课程中，从而有助于学生的学术发展和培训。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This research will analyze serum samples and associated morphometric measurements previously collected from well characterized populations of wild baboons in the Awash National Park, Ethiopia. These sera samples were collected over fourteen field seasons and include the entire spectrum of ages within the populations. Using enzyme immunoassay techniques this study will quantify levels of seven growth- and inflammation-related hormones and proteins to test hypotheses regarding: 1) the endocrine correlates of divergent growth trajectories in two species of baboons, including different patterns of post-prime changes in body mass; 2) the hormonal underpinnings of unique aspects of the hybrid growth trajectory; and 3) how wild baboon populations compare to captive baboon populations with regard to the hormonal correlates of growth and maturation. Intellectual Merit: The results of this study will shed light on the physiological mechanisms underlying differences in growth and adult size. They will also provide a basic framework for understanding how shifts in timing and duration of developmental events can be accomplished on a mechanical level. This addresses important questions regarding plasticity and development and speaks to the evolution of growth, development, and senescence thus furthering our understanding of the evolution of ontogeny in primates. Broader Impacts: This project will employ one professional, full-time technician, and a number of undergraduate and graduate students will participate as research interns during the duration of the research. Further, a number of aspects of this research project will be integrated into undergraduate and graduate courses thus contributing to students' academic development and training.