EFFECT OF PROLACTIN, IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO, UPON HETEROPHIL PHAGOCYTICFUNCTION IN THE RING DOVE (STREPTOPELIA-RISORIA)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prolactin, both in vitro and in vivo, upon heterophil phagocytic activity of the ring dove, Streptopelia risoria. In vitro incubation of heterophils w ith either 0.1 or 100 mu g/mL of ovine prolactin for 2 h significantly increased both latex bead phagocytosis and Nitroblue tetrazolium (NET ) reduction, an index of phagocytic metabolic activity. Ring doves giv en antigen demonstrated an increase in latex bead phagocytosis and NET reduction, The greatest increase in both of these parameters was obse rved in those birds which possessed elevated plasma prolactin concentr ations, either through exogenous administration or naturally through b eing in the later stages of incubation. These results suggest that dur ing the incubation period of the avian breeding cycle there is an incr ease in phagocytic activity which is a direct consequence of the eleva tion shown by these birds in the concentration of plasma prolactin. Co pyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.