Serum protein electrophoresis of free-ranging and captive loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), from north coast of Bahia, Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Pires, Thaís Torres
• Data de Publicação: 2008
• Outros Autores: Rostan, Gonzalo, Bittencourt, Thereza Cristina Calmon de, Almeida, Maria Ângela Ornelas de, Guimarães, José Eugênio
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Research and Animal Science
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistas.usp.br/bjvras/article/view/26739
• topic: Eletroforese; Proteína; Tartarugas cabeçudas; Electrophoresis; Protein; Loggerhead sea turtles

The purpose of this study was to determine and to compare the serum protein electrophoresis profile in female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), free-ranging (n=20) nesting in the north coast of Bahia and in the animals kept in captivity (n=5) in the visitor center of the Projeto Tamar-Ibama, in Praia do Forte, Bahia, Brazil. The values obtained for the free-ranging turtles were: total protein 3,84±0,56g/dL, albumin 1,39±0,30g/dL, alfa-1 and alfa-2 globulin 0,34±0,09g/dL and 0,42±0,22g/dL, beta globulin 0,57±0,26g/dL, and gama globulin 1,16±0,30g/dL, and A:G ratio 0,58±0,16, while for the captives ones these values were: total protein 4,98±1,31g/dL, albumin 1,64±0,55g/dL, alfa-1, alfa-2, beta and gama globulin 0,39±0,24g/dL, 0,68±0,44g/dL, 0,68±0,13g/dL and 1,59±0,31g/dL, respectively; A:G ratio 0,49±0,08. The total protein values were significantly higher (p<0,05) for the captivity turtles; this fact may be related with the high protein feeding. Differences were also identified for the gamma globulin for the free-ranging, which presented lower values, probably due to reproductive stress and immunosuppression. Despite these considerations, the electrophoresis profile for the two loggerhead turtles groups were similar in general.