Coupling gene-based and classic veterinary diagnostics improves interpretation of health and immune function in the Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii).

ABSTRACT: The analysis of blood constituents is a widely used tool to aid in monitoring of animal health and disease. However, classic blood diagnostics (i.e. hematologic and plasma biochemical values) often do not provide sufficient information to determine the state of an animal's health. Field studies on wild tortoises and other reptiles have had limited success in drawing significant inferences between blood diagnostics and physiological and immunological condition. However, recent research using gene transcription profiling in the threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) has proved useful in identifying immune or physiologic responses and overall health. To improve our understanding of health and immune function in tortoises, we evaluated both standard blood diagnostic (bod

SUBMITTER: Drake KK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5550616 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature