TY - JOUR
T1 - Atypical red blood cells are prevalent in California sea lion pups born during anomalous sea surface temperature events
AU - Flores-Morán, Adriana
AU - Banuet-Martínez, Marina
AU - Elorriaga-Verplancken, Fernando R.
AU - García-Ortuño, Luis Enrique
AU - Sandoval-Sierra, Julieta
AU - Acevedo-Whitehouse, Karina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - To date, there is limited knowledge of the effects that abnormal sea surface temperature (SST) can have on the physiology of neonate pinnipeds. However, maternal nutritional deficiencies driven by alimentary restrictions would expectedly impact pinniped development and fitness, as an adequate supply of nutrients is essential for growth and proper functioning of all body systems, including red blood cell synthesis and clearance. Here, we investigated red blood cell morphology of California sea lion (CSL) pups from the San Benito Archipelago born during the 2014 and 2015 anomalously high SST events recorded in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.We examined whether atypical erythrocyte morphologies were more common in 2015, when the high SST event was more pronounced, and whether the stable isotope signature of pup fur, as an indicator of maternal feeding strategies, accounted for the number of atypical cells. Various atypical erythrocyte morphologies were more prevalent and more abundant than reference values. Evidence of iron deficiency was found in both years, and only pups born in 2014 showed evidence of active erythropoiesis. Microcytes and reticulocytes were more common in pups with higher isotopic d13C and lower d15N values, suggesting a probable relationship between maternal feeding strategies and the effect of climatic anomalies on red blood cell physiology of their pups. As developing pinnipeds require increased oxygen storage capacity for diving and foraging, the presence of atypical erythrocytes could be relevant to CSL pup fitness if the underlying cause is not reverted. This study is a first step to explore the effects that climatic alterations in the marine environment can have on the blood physiology of developing individuals.
AB - To date, there is limited knowledge of the effects that abnormal sea surface temperature (SST) can have on the physiology of neonate pinnipeds. However, maternal nutritional deficiencies driven by alimentary restrictions would expectedly impact pinniped development and fitness, as an adequate supply of nutrients is essential for growth and proper functioning of all body systems, including red blood cell synthesis and clearance. Here, we investigated red blood cell morphology of California sea lion (CSL) pups from the San Benito Archipelago born during the 2014 and 2015 anomalously high SST events recorded in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.We examined whether atypical erythrocyte morphologies were more common in 2015, when the high SST event was more pronounced, and whether the stable isotope signature of pup fur, as an indicator of maternal feeding strategies, accounted for the number of atypical cells. Various atypical erythrocyte morphologies were more prevalent and more abundant than reference values. Evidence of iron deficiency was found in both years, and only pups born in 2014 showed evidence of active erythropoiesis. Microcytes and reticulocytes were more common in pups with higher isotopic d13C and lower d15N values, suggesting a probable relationship between maternal feeding strategies and the effect of climatic anomalies on red blood cell physiology of their pups. As developing pinnipeds require increased oxygen storage capacity for diving and foraging, the presence of atypical erythrocytes could be relevant to CSL pup fitness if the underlying cause is not reverted. This study is a first step to explore the effects that climatic alterations in the marine environment can have on the blood physiology of developing individuals.
KW - Anemia
KW - Anisocytosis
KW - Atypical red blood cells
KW - California sea lion
KW - El Niño
KW - Microcytes
KW - Reticulocytes
KW - SST
KW - The Blob
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85022001384&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/692919
DO - 10.1086/692919
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 28671858
SN - 1522-2152
VL - 90
SP - 564
EP - 574
JO - Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
JF - Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
IS - 5
ER -