Urinary C-Peptide of Insulin as a Non-Invasive Marker of Nutritional Status
Author Information
Author(s): Higham James P., Girard-Buttoz Cédric, Engelhardt Antje, Heistermann Michael
Primary Institution: German Primate Centre, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Hypothesis
Can urinary C-peptide of insulin be used as a reliable non-invasive measure of nutritional status in free-ranging animals?
Conclusion
The study provides practical recommendations for fieldworkers on how to collect and process urine samples for accurate UCP measurement.
Supporting Evidence
- UCP levels correlate with serum C-peptide levels in macaques and chimpanzees.
- Contamination with faeces drastically reduces UCP levels.
- Short-term storage on ice does not significantly affect UCP levels.
- Lyophilization preserves UCP levels effectively over time.
- Transporting frozen samples can lead to significant declines in UCP values.
Takeaway
This study shows how to collect and store urine samples from animals to measure their nutritional status without hurting them.
Methodology
The study involved collecting urine samples from captive macaques and testing the effects of contamination, storage, and processing methods on UCP measurements.
Potential Biases
Potential contamination of urine samples could lead to inaccurate UCP measurements.
Limitations
Sample sizes per experiment were not large, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Participant Demographics
Male and female rhesus and long-tailed macaques housed at the German Primate Center.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.031
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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