Many of the genes that are essential for the functioning of the vertebrate HPI axis were not expressed in 3dpf stickleback embryos, including several key neuroendocrine ligands, their receptors, and enzymes responsible for the production of cortisol. Also, we detected a significant effect of maternal stress on the expression of genes shown to be similarly influenced in humans and other mammal cells by exposure to the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. It is therefore possible that some of the genes differentially expressed in stickleback embryos in response to maternal stress were activated or repressed through the action of maternal cortisol, though cortisol was not measured in this experiment. Further study is needed to understand the magnitude and tissue specificity by which maternal glucocorticoids might influence the embryonic transcriptome. Consistent with the known effects of glucocorticoids on immune function, we detected the differential regulation of several immune genes, including genes involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses. Previous studies in humans and other primates have found an enhancing effect of maternal stress on the offspring innate immune response, coupled with a depression of the adaptive immune response. Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death worldwide, especially in developed countries. Higher concentrations of circulating cholesterol are a major risk factor for cardiac problems. Limiting cholesterol intake to 300 mg/day can prevent elevated blood cholesterol levels and prevent increases in the risk of coronary heart diseases. This figure is given in both the National Cholesterol Education Program diet and the American Heart Association dietary recommendations. In developed countries, egg consumption has decreased considerably because the cholesterol, 200–300 mg per egg, can increase the risk of coronary heart disease. However, in China and or other developing countries, people usually eat eggs as their main source of dietary protein. Low-cholesterol eggs would be of great significance to public health. Ever since the 1970s, research efforts have been directed toward reducing egg cholesterol content in different ways. These have included genetic selection, altering the hens’ diet with various nutrients and probiotics, and treating the hens with drugs, non-nutritive factors, and phytogenic extracts. Consumers are likely to prefer eggs modified by phytogenic extract to eggs modified by drugs because they have fewer and less side effects. Alfalfa saponin extract is extracted from Medicago sativa L. The main active component is saponins. It also includes flavonoids and polysaccharides. The mixture of biologically active ingredients presented in ASE has pleiotropic physiological effects, including reduction of aphid population, alteration nutrient digestion and fermentation in rumen, antimicrobial activity.