A Heterologous Assay for Measuring Prolactin in Pituitary Extracts and Plasma from Australian Flying Foxes (GenusPteropus)

A sensitive heterologous assay was developed to measure prolactin-like activity inPteropus alecto, P. poliocephalus,andP. scapulatus,Australian flying foxes. Adapted from an established radioimmunoassay for rabbit PRL, it utilises the well-characterised, polyclonal antiserum 33/9 (guinea pig anti-human prolactin). In the assay, pituitary extracts fromP. alecto, P. poliocephalus,andP. scapulatusdiluted in parallel with ovine prolactin standards, although absolute levels estimated were low. Its usefulness for investigating the role of prolactin in reproduction and seasonality in flying foxes was tested. In a survey of pituitary extracts collected from both sexes of all three species, prolactin was higher in females than in males (P