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 reptiles3-4. 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.