Testing androgen-induced immunosuppression: Environmental androgens as a model system for steroid-immune interaction.

It is well known that hormones influence and direct most facets of physiology; however, there is still contention regarding the directions of certain relationships, for example, between gonadal hormones and immunity. Among the many proposed relationships relating to gonadal-immune interactions, support for immunosuppressive effects of androgens remains prominent within physiological literature. Although ample study has been directed toward the immunosuppressive effects of androgens, considerable disagreement remains regarding their influence on immune function.

The Inference of the Evolution of Immune Traits as Constrained by Phylogeny: Insight into the Immune System of the Basal Diapsid.

Among vertebrates, some of the most vulnerable taxa to emergent fungal pathogens are members of Reptilia. In light of the growing threat of emergent fungal pathogens affecting wildlife, it is important to broaden the current understanding of immune system function, development, and evolution. The homologous condition of a trait is necessary in order to study its evolution, as such, homology is necessary in the study of immunological evolution.

Sex-based trade-offs in the innate and acquired immune systems of Sternotherus minor.

Longevity patterns in most vertebrates suggest that females benefit most from maintenance investment. A reversed longevity pattern in loggerhead musk turtles (Sternotherus minor) allowed us to test trade-offs between maintenance and survivorship. We tested the hypothesis that the sex with greater longevity has greater maintenance than the sex with shorter longevity.