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Dependence of the Ratio of the Lengths for the Second and Fourth Fingers (2D : 4D) on the Prenatal Development Conditions in Water Vole (Arvicola amphibius L.)

  • MECHANISMS OF NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
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Abstract—

The ratio of the lengths of the second and fourth fingers (2D : 4D) is used as a marker of prenatal androgenization. A similar ratio of finger lengths 2D : 4D was found in humans and many animal species. Morphological markers of prenatal effects are important in population studies. The 2D : 4D digit ratio in males and females of a water vole (Arvicola amphibius L.) was measured. The analysis of the dependence of this index on gender and the morphophysiological characteristics of the mother (body weight after parturition, testosterone level during pregnancy) was carried out. A similarity was found between littermates in terms of finger index. It was found that the androgen status of the mother during pregnancy and the body weight of the mother after parturition reliably affect the 2D : 4D ratio. The conclusion about the possibility of using the 2D : 4D digit ratio in environmental population studies as a marker of prenatal hormone-related maternal effects was made.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions for finalizing the manuscript.

Funding

This work was carried out within the Program of Fundamental Scientific Researches of State Academies of Sciences for 2013–2020 (project no. VI.51.1.8).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISEA SB RAS), 630091, Novosibirsk, Russia

    G. G. Nazarova, L. P. Proskurnyak & E. I. Yuzhik

  2. Institute of Molecular Pathology and Pathomorphology, Federal Research Center for Fundamental and Translational Medicine, 630117, Novosibirsk, Russia

    E. I. Yuzhik

Authors
  1. G. G. Nazarova
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  2. L. P. Proskurnyak
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  3. E. I. Yuzhik
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Correspondence to G. G. Nazarova or E. I. Yuzhik.

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COMPLIANCE WITH ETHICAL STANDARDS

Conflict of interest. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement on the welfare of animals. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

G.G. Nazarova—planning experiments, taking fingerprints and measuring finger lengths, statistical data processing, and participating in writing the text of the article; L.P. Proskurnyak—breeding animals; E.I. Yuzhik—taking blood, determining the level of testosterone, and participating in writing the text of the article.

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Nazarova, G.G., Proskurnyak, L.P. & Yuzhik, E.I. Dependence of the Ratio of the Lengths for the Second and Fourth Fingers (2D : 4D) on the Prenatal Development Conditions in Water Vole (Arvicola amphibius L.). Russ J Dev Biol 51, 65–69 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062360420010051

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062360420010051

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