Prolonged sexual bipotentiality of the embryonic quail testis and relation with sex steroid biosynthesis

Feminization in common terns (Sterna hirunda) : relationship to persistent organic contaminants

“…The feminizing effects in the males exposed to estrogens have been observed with all bird species examined, including chickens, quails, ducks, doves, pigeons, and gulls (Kozelka and Gallagher 1934;Gaarenstroom 1937;Willier, Gallagher et al 1937;Domm 1939;Gaarenstroom 1939;Danforth 1942;Riddle and Dunham 1942;Lewis 1946;Boss and Witschi 1947;Snedecor 1949;Romanoff 1960;Pincus and Erickson 1962;Taber 1964;Asayama 1965;Miyamori 1966;Haffen, Scheib et al 1975;Fry and Toone 1981).…”

“…Feminization of gonads in quail tend to be more advanced and persistent than chickens, but will eventually revert back to testes (Haffen, Scheib et al 1975). Turkeys treated prior to sexual differentiation and killed 26-46 weeks posthatching all showed feminization of gonads.…”

“…In other species including quail, ducks, ring doves, and hawks it may persist until hatching and sometimes longer. The presence of this cortical epithelial layer represents a potential ovarian cortex, and can be stimulated during development with hormones to proliferate secondary cortical sex cords which will develop into an ovarian cortex (Laulanie 1886;Swift 1916;Stanley 1937;Riddle and Dunham 1942;Lahr and Riddle 1945;Lewis 1946;Romanoff 1960;Taber 1964;Haffen, Scheib et al 1975). …”

“…Particularly in bird species with late persisting ovarian cortical areas, the presence of these areas may lengthen the time this potential cortex is susceptible to further stimulation when exposed to estrogens (Romanoff 1960;Haffen, Scheib et al 1975;Wachtel, Wachtel et al 1991). Differentiation of·Mullerian ducts, sexually dimorphic areas of the brain, and other sexually dimorphic characteristics are also most sensitive to effects close to and before their time of differentiation (Gaarenstroom 1939;Boss and Witschi 1947;Adkins 1979).…”

“…Testes of male doves, hawks, ducks, and quail all have been observed with ovarian cortical areas containing primordial germ cells at the time of hatching. Generally these areas disappear within a few days to weeks posthatching, but have been known to persist for several months in some species including hawks and ducks (Stanley 1937;Riddle and Dunham 1942;Lewis 1946;Haffen, Scheib et al 1975). It is possible that terns are an avian species that normally possess persistent ovarian cortical areas at hatching.…”