Roles of adrenal and gonadal steroids and season in uropygial gland function in male pigeons, Columba livia.
To gauge the relative regulative roles of adrenal, gonadal, and thyroid hormones on uropygial gland of male adult pigeons, morphometric, histological, and histochemical observations have been made on a seasonal basis in normal as well as experimentally manipulated birds. Normal birds showed a parallel adrenal-gonadal-uropygial relationship and inverse adrenal-thyroid, thyroid-gonadal, and thyroid-uropygial relationships. Induced hypocorticalism by dexamethasone in the breeding season and hypercorticalism by ACTH or corticosterone treatment in the nonbreeding season were marked by inhibitory and stimulatory changes respectively in the uropygial gland and testis and by inverse thyroid activity. Further, cyproterone acetate treatment in the breeding season completely suppressed testicular functions and increased thyroid activity without affecting either adrenal or uropygial weight, structure, and functions. Based on the observations it is concluded that adrenal steroids are principally involved in regulating the uropygial gland while the gonadal steroids are involved in qualitative aspects of secretion during the breeding phase and thyroid hormones in maintaining the general metabolic profile.
Asnani
M V
MV
Department of Zoology, M.S. University of Baroda, India.
Ramachandran
A V
AV
D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000032:analysis; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000032:analysis; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D000303:Adrenal Cortex Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000728:Androgens; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D003345:Corticosterone