Carotenoid Modulation of Immune Function and Sexual Attractiveness in Zebra Finches

By J. D. Blount, N. Metcalfe, T. Birkhead, Peter F Surai. Science, 2003

611 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Subfields: Ecology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/61847fa9e4d2b9472b77663b108cab88d65c5ee6

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Citations in the corpus

The effects of carotenoid and food availability on resistance to a naturally occurring parasite (Gyrodactylus turnbulli) in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) (2006, background): “Consistent with other studies demonstrating immuno-stimulating properties of carotenoids (Møller et al., 2000; Blount et al., 2003; McGraw & Ardia, 2003; Grether et al., 2004), males in the tracecarotenoid group had higher parasite loads than males in the low-carotenoid group in the present study.”
Melanin- versus carotenoid-based sexual signals : is the difference really so black and red? (2006, background): “Ideally, to explore fully the effects of parasites on carotenoid pigmentation in a single study, researchers should vary simultaneously both the level of carotenoids provided and the level of parasitic infection (e.g. Blount et al. 2003).”
Carotenoid-based signals in behavioural ecology : a review (2011, background): “However, prooxidant effects, or other types of carotenoid-related toxicity, may still be a possibility, considering the extremely high carotenoid concentrations that can occur in certain tissues of some species (e.g., Bjerkeng et al., 1992; Hatlen et al., 1998; Blount et al., 2002).”
Testosterone upregulates lipoprotein status to control sexual attractiveness in a colorful songbird (2006, background): “Male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), for example, enrich their beak with red carotenoids (McGraw et al. 2002b) and use bright coloration to attract mates (Burley and Coopersmith 1987; Blount et al. 2003).”
Parasites, testosterone and honest carotenoid-based signalling of health (2007, background): “Carotenoid-based signals in birds might directly signal male health because carotenoids can act as immune enhancers and antioxidants (they can directly boost the immune system and enhance immunocompetence; Blount et al. 2003; McGraw & Ardia 2003; Alonso-Alvarez et al. 2004).”
Fruit for health: the effect of flavonoids on humoral immune response and food selection in a frugivorous bird (2008, neutral): “or other taxa of vertebrates (Boa-Amponsem et al 2000; Blount et al. 2003).”
Status-signalling chemical badges in male Iberian rock lizards (2007, background): “Male birds that allocated more carotenoids to producing more elaborate visual badges were also healthier individuals with superior immunocompetence (Olson & Owens 1998; Blount et al. 2003).”
Immune function, parasites, and carotenoid-based ornaments in greenfinches (2004, background): “2000), or peaks (Blount et al. 2003; Faivre et al. 2003).”
Dietary mineral content influences the expression of melanin-based ornamental coloration (2007, neutral): “…determining melanin coloration, and 2 of the beak, for determining the effect of this treatment on an ornament—the sexually selected, red, carotenoid-containing beak (Burley and Coopersmith 1987; Blount et al. 2003)—that I predicted should not be specifically sensitive to dietary calcium content.”
Do female association preferences predict the likelihood of reproduction? (2010, background): “Basolo 1990; Hill 1994; Blount et al. 2003; Fernandez and Morris 2008), this study is one of very few to test the relationship between association preferences and actual reproduction.”
Carotenoids are minor antioxidants for birds (2008, background): “2000; Surai 2002; Krinsky & Yeum 2003), but they also have a number of other additional physiological functions, such as immunostimulation (Blount et al. 2003; Faivre et al. 2003; McGraw & Ardia 2003).”
Testing the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis: A review of the evidence (2004, neutral): “Confirming this conclusion, carotenoids have recently been advocated in mediating both immunity and trait expression (Blount et al. 2003; Faivre et al. 2003).”
Availability of nonpigmentary antioxidant affects red coloration in gulls (2008, background): “…the immune system produces ROS that must be counteracted by the mobilization of bodily antioxidants , including carotenoids, to balance oxidative stress at the expense of the expression of sexual coloration (Blount et al. 2003; Faivre et al. 2003; Alonso-Alvarez et al. 2004; Grether et al. 2004).”