Understanding the hormonal drivers behind social bonding has long fascinated researchers. Oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone,” is vital for strengthening social connections within many species. But what about inter-species interactions? To start answering this question, a research group out of Austria and Germany took a closer look at how Oxytocin ELISA kits from different suppliers fared at measuring oxytocin metabolite levels through non-invasive urine sampling from humans, dogs, and wolves. Their findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
A Breakthrough in Non-Invasive Hormone Measurement
In this study, Wirobski and Schaebs et al. explored urinary oxytocin metabolites (OTMs) as indicators of social behavior. Using Arbor Assays’ Oxytocin ELISA Kit (K048-H), the researchers validated the ability to measure OTMs from urine samples across species, including dogs, wolves, and humans.
This non-invasive method eliminates the stress of traditional sampling methods like blood draws, thereby eliminating possible confounding variables from the study and also serves as a more ethical method of data collection. The research opens doors for studying oxytocin dynamics in wild and untrained animals, where non-invasive approaches are essential.
Key Outcomes: Oxytocin Levels Change After Social Bonding Activities
The study confirmed the Oxytocin ELISA Kit’s reliability and versatility in detecting urinary OTMs. Compared to another supplier’s kit tested, the Arbor Assays kit demonstrated superior sensitivity and consistency across all species, particularly in detecting subtle hormonal changes in low-concentration samples.
A significant outcome was the identification of measurable oxytocin changes in canines after social bonding activities, such as human-dog interaction. Similarly, the study revealed that higher oxytocin levels were associated with cooperative behaviors in wolves. These findings demonstrate the hormonal basis for bonding and suggest that oxytocin plays a fundamental role in the evolution of social interactions across and between species.
Why Researchers Choose Arbor Assays’ Oxytocin Kit
Arbor Assays’ Oxytocin ELISA Kit stands out due to some unique advantages:
- Cross-species applicability: Designed to accurately measure oxytocin in diverse species, it’s ideal for comparative research.
- Non-invasive sampling: Enables hormone measurement through urine, preserving the natural behaviors of animal subjects.
- Exceptional sensitivity: Ensures accurate detection even in samples with low oxytocin concentrations down to 17.0 pg/mL.
- Trusted validation: Proven effective in peer-reviewed studies like this one, providing confidence in experimental outcomes.
This combination of features makes the Oxytocin ELISA Kit an ideal tool for behavioral research. By enabling noninvasive, cross-species hormone analysis, researchers can confidently and easily uncover the hormonal underpinnings of complex social behaviors.
Discover More Oxytocin Applications
Want to read more examples of how our Oxytocin ELISA Kit has been used in research? Search our publication database and see how scientists worldwide are advancing their work with Arbor Assays’ robust and innovative kit solutions.