Hamann M, Limpus C J, Whittier J M
School of Biological Sciences, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLS 4072, Australia.
J Comp Physiol B. 2002 Aug;172(6):485-93. doi: 10.1007/s00360-002-0271-2. Epub 2002 Jun 29.
Reproductive data from southern Queensland indicate that vitellogenesis in female Chelonia mydas takes approximately 8 months and is followed by a migration to a breeding area. At Heron Island, females lay multiple clutches over approximately 3 months. To investigate how females mobilise and store lipid during the breeding season we collected plasma, yolk, and fat tissue samples from females at a variety of stages during the nesting season. In breeding females, concentrations of plasma triglyceride increased seasonally. They reached peak concentrations during vitellogenesis and courtship, remained high throughout the nesting season, and then declined to a nadir after the last clutch. Plasma protein concentration increased throughout the breeding season, peaking following the last clutch for the season. Yolk lipids were highest during courtship and were similar throughout the nesting season, suggesting that uptake of lipid by ovarian follicles is completed prior to the beginning of the nesting season. Plasma triglyceride decreases in females with prolonged periods of unsuccessful nesting, and total lipid levels in adipose tissue and follicle yolks were significantly lower in atretic females. It appears that: (1) endogenous energy reserves can be reduced by stochastic environmental events (such as those reducing nesting success), and (2) a metabolic shift signalling the end of the nesting season is characterised by a drop in plasma triglycerides and slight increase in total plasma protein.
来自昆士兰南部的繁殖数据表明，绿海龟雌龟的卵黄生成大约需要8个月，之后会迁移到繁殖地。在赫伦岛，雌龟在大约3个月的时间里会产多窝卵。为了研究雌龟在繁殖季节如何调动和储存脂质，我们在筑巢季节的不同阶段收集了雌龟的血浆、卵黄和脂肪组织样本。在繁殖期雌龟中，血浆甘油三酯浓度呈季节性变化。在卵黄生成和求偶期间达到峰值浓度，在整个筑巢季节都保持在较高水平，然后在最后一窝产卵后降至最低点。血浆蛋白浓度在整个繁殖季节都有所增加，在该季节最后一窝产卵后达到峰值。求偶期间卵黄脂质含量最高，在整个筑巢季节相似，这表明卵巢卵泡对脂质的摄取在筑巢季节开始前就已完成。长时间筑巢失败的雌龟血浆甘油三酯会降低，闭锁卵泡的雌龟脂肪组织和卵泡卵黄中的总脂质水平显著较低。似乎：（1）内源性能量储备会因随机环境事件（如那些降低筑巢成功率的事件）而减少，（2）标志着筑巢季节结束的代谢转变的特征是血浆甘油三酯下降和血浆总蛋白略有增加。
