Evaluation of serum protein electrophoresis in greater rhea (Rhea americana Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

Serum proteins from 47 healthy greater rheas (Rhea americana; male and female) were separated by electrophoresis in order to characterize normal reference ranges. Determination of total protein concentration was performed through biuret reaction. The mean value of total serum protein was 4.4 g/dL. Absolute concentrations of serum proteins were determined by agarose gel electrophoretic fractioning. Five fractions were analyzed: albumin, alpha, beta1, beta2, and gamma globulins, and the average values in grams per deciliter were 2.39, 0.32, 0.45, 0.30, and 0.79, respectively.

Serum Biochemistry of Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) in Captivity in the Northeast of Brazil

“…SD: Standard deviation. 1 Verstappen et al [17], 2 Reissig et al [18], 3 Palomeque et al [13], 4 Menon et al [19], 5 Ritchie et al [20], 6 Omidi & Ansari nik [21].…”

“…They live in mixed groups of up to 50 individuals with males and females of all ages. R. americana have many similarities with the ostrich ( Struthio camelus ); however, they are smaller birds [ 5 , 6 ]. The greater rhea is the largest bird in South America, reaching an average weight of 20 to 27 kg in adulthood and 127 to 140 cm in length from beak to tail.…”

“…In Brazil, the hunting of rheas is controlled, and the bird is under government protection; the marketing of products that originate from these animals, such as meat, is only allowed from registered commercial breeding facilities [ 6 , 12 ]. Rheas raised in captivity face different management and diets in relation to free-living animals, which may lead to clinical problems [ 4 , 13 ].…”

Protein electrophoresis in Andean condors (Vultur gryphus): Reference values and differences between wild and rehabilitating individuals

“…The characterization of different fractions of plasma proteins through electrophoresis is a useful tool to assess wildlife health (Almeida et al, ; Cray & Tatum, ; Foldenauer et al, ), given that these proteins perform essential functions in the organism (Cray & Tatum, ). For example, albumin is considered the most important plasma protein in healthy animals because it is a transporter protein, the main contributor of colloidal osmotic pressure, and a sensitive indicator of nutritional reserves (Peinado, Polo, Celdrán, Viscor, & Palomeque, ; Werner & Reavill, ).…”