The cloacal gland complex of the Japanese quail

McFarland, L. Z.; Warner, Raymond L; Wilson, Wilbor O.; Mather, Fred

doi:10.1007/bf02138670

Cited by 48 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…We agree with Kannankeril & Domm (1968) on the very low secretion of hormone by the rudimentary gonad, since we also found that the cloacal glands (which in females are sensitive to androgens; McFarland, Warner, Wilson & Mather, 1968) and oviducts remained undeveloped. Furthermore, the LH levels in completely ovariectomized quail remained high throughout, whereas in completely ovariectomized quail they later became suppressed.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Plasma Levels of Luteinizing Hormone in Gonadectomized Japanese Quail Exposed to Short or to Long Daylengths

Gibson¹,

Follett²,

Gledhill³

1975

Journal of Endocrinology

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Plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured by radioimmunoassay in gonadectomized male and female Japanese quail, exposed either to 8 h light: 16 h darkness per day (8L:16D; short days) or to 20L:4D (long days). In both sexes, exposure to long days increased LH levels and in the gonadectomized quail LH continued to rise over several weeks. Eventually the castrated quail had levels about five times higher than the control birds and the ovariectomized quail had levels about 14 times higher than their controls. Quail kept on short days had low LH levels while birds kept on long days and returned to short days resumed low levels after a delay of some days. Since very high levels of LH occurred in gonadectomized quail only when they were on long days, we conclude that the photoperiodic regulation of LH secretion does not operate solely by adjusting sensitivity to gonadal feedback, but works in a more direct manner. Ovariectomized females whether on long days (high LH) or short days (low LH) grew masculine plumage and castrated males retained male plumage. This confirms that the ovary is responsible for sexual dimorphism of plumage and shows that the action of the ovary is not mediated by LH (through feedback). The remaining rudimentary (right) gonad in ovariectomized females did not undergo visible hypertrophy and did not secrete enough hormone to stimulate the cloacal gland or oviduct.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Plasma Levels of Luteinizing Hormone in Gonadectomized Japanese Quail Exposed to Short or to Long Daylengths

Gibson¹,

Follett²,

Gledhill³

1975

Journal of Endocrinology

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“…Thus mSC movement is essential for foam production, confirming the hypothesis that these movements generate foam by mechanically whipping air into the viscous secretions of 75 Quail Foam System the proctodeal gland Klemm et al, 1973]. An alternative is that the foamy nature of the product results from gas produced by bacteria in the foam gland complex or the cloaca [McFarland et al, 1968]. The bacterial environment is presumably unaltered following denervation, thus allowing the two alternative hypotheses to be differentiated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 49%

“…The foam is a product of the foam gland complex, a large red external protuberance just dorsal to the cloacal opening (vent) ( fig. 2) [McFarland et al, 1968]. The foam gland complex is composed of the aggregate proctodeal gland plus the hypertrophied dorsal portion of the large circular striated sphincter cloacae muscle (mSC) which lies over it ( fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Foam Production System of the Male Japanese Quail: Characterization of Structure and Function

1998

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The research described here characterizes a unique neuromuscular system involved in reproductive behavior – the foam production system of the male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Male quail produce a large amount of foam that is transferred to the female during copulation, enhancing male fertilization success. The source is the foam gland complex, a large sexually dimorphic, androgen sensitive, external protuberance of the dorsal cloaca, consisting of glandular units interdigitated with striated muscle fibers of the sphincter cloacae muscle (mSC). Electromyographic (EMG) analysis of mSC activity in freely moving males interacting with females revealed different characteristics of the EMG signal during copulation, voiding of excreta, and other mSC movement. The amount of mSC activity and also the amount of foam produced were greatly increased by the presence of a female behind a screen. Denervation of mSC eliminated normal mSC movement and also abolished foam production, confirming that mSC activity is the mechanism for foam production. The spinal cord locations of the motoneurons innervating the major cloacal muscles, including mSC, were determined by injecting cholera-toxin conjugated horseradish peroxidase into each muscle. Labelled somata with multiple primary dendrites were located in Area IX of the lateral motor column of synsacral segments 7, 8, or 9 or 8, 9, and 10. The motoneurons serving mSC were intermingled with those projecting to the other cloacal muscles, but there were differences in the rostral-caudal placement of these neural populations. Thus mSC activity is an integral part of the male’s reproductive behavior, mSC activity can be socially stimulated, and mSC activity occurring in anticipation of copulation is likely to be functionally significant. Continued investigation of this highly accessible system has the potential to shed light on the mechanisms by which complex motor acts are produced and hormonally regulated.

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“…In mature male birds this cloacal gland is enlarged and there is a high correlation between size of cloacal gland and weight of testes (Siopes & Wilson, 1975;Follett <& Maung, 1978). The cloacal gland of the quail is androgen-dependent and administration of testosterone to castrated birds stimulates growth of the gland and induces the appearance of secretory material (Nagra, Meyer & Gilstad, 1959;McFarland, Warner, Wilson & Mather, 1968). Testosterone also prevents regression of the cloacal gland after the transfer of mature birds to non-photostimulatory short days (Sachs, 1967(Sachs, , 1969.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Cloacal Gland of the Japanese Quail: Androgen Dependence and Metabolism of Testosterone

Massa¹,

Davies²,

Bottoni³

1980

Journal of Endocrinology

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A cloacal gland complex whose growth and development is androgen-dependent exists in the Japanese quail. In-vitro incubation studies of the cloacal gland using 4-14C-labelled testosterone as substrate allowed the positive identification of five metabolites: androstenedione, 5 beta-dihydrotestosterone (5 beta-DHT), 5 beta-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol, 5 alpha-DHT and 5 alpha -androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol. More polar metabolites, not yet chemically identified, were detected in trace amounts. Androstenedione appeared to be the main testosterone metabolite in immature birds while in mature birds on long daylengths testosterone was preferentially metabolized to 5 alpha-DHT. This change may have been in response to the higher levels of plasma steroids found in mature birds. When various testosterone metabolites, contained in silicone elastomer capsules, were implanted s.c. into castrated birds maintained on a photostimulatory light regime, 5 alpha-DHT, 5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione, androstenedione and 5 alpha-androstan-3 alpha-ol-17-one were shown to be equipotent with testosterone in stimulating the development of the cloacal gland. 5 alpha-Androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol and 5 alpha-androstan-3 beta-ol-17-one stimulated some growth while 5 beta-DHT, 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol, 5 beta-androstane-3,17-dione, androst-5-en-3 beta-ol-17-one and androst-5-ene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol were completely ineffective.

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The cloacal gland complex of the Japanese quail

Cited by 48 publications

References 5 publications

Plasma Levels of Luteinizing Hormone in Gonadectomized Japanese Quail Exposed to Short or to Long Daylengths

Plasma Levels of Luteinizing Hormone in Gonadectomized Japanese Quail Exposed to Short or to Long Daylengths

The Foam Production System of the Male Japanese Quail: Characterization of Structure and Function

Cloacal Gland of the Japanese Quail: Androgen Dependence and Metabolism of Testosterone

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