BruschIVGA_SICB_2018.pdf

The immune system is essential for survival and its performance can vary depending on the physiological state of the organism (i.e., energetic state, life-stage, etc.). Much of the current research into immune function dynamics has focused on new-born to adult life stages, despite previous studies documenting physiological responses in embryos to environmental stimuli such as temperature¹ and oxygen². While energy balance has been the predominant focus as the driver of changes in immune function, recent research has found a positive relationship between dehydration and innate immune performance in adult reptiles^3-4. We expanded the understanding of this relationship by examining trans-generational immune effects of female dehydration as well as the effects of dehydration on embryonic innate immunity using Children’s pythons, Antaresia childreni.