Genetics Systems of Stress Responses in Pigs

“Stress” is a generic term used to describe non-specific responses of the organisms to all kinds of challenges [1]. Stress is an important feature of robustness, as it has important consequences on resistance to diseases (via inflammation processes and immune function). Its main agents are the cortisol (numerous mammals, fish) or corticosteroids (rodents, birds), released by the surrenal cortex in response to the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity.