EFFECT OF ESTROGENIZATION ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF RADIOMERCURY IN QUAIL

[摘要] References(56)Cited-By(1)It is known that mercury derivatives are transported into eggs developing in the reproductive organs of birds (1-12). An egg consists of three components; yolk which develops in the ovary, albumen and shell which are secreted from the site of magnum and the site of uterus of the oviduct, respectively (13). It is known also that alkoxy mercury derivatives (9, 10) and inorganic mercury (10, 12) are transported mostly into egg yolk, and alkyl mercury compounds into egg albumen (1, 3, 5, 6, 10) and shell (1). The difference in the mode of the transportation may be due to the difference in chemical form among these mercurials (9, 12). On the other hand, the onset of laying in domestic fowls is accompanied by changes in the majority of the plasma components (13-30). Similar changes in the plasma were induced in immature pullets, nonlaying hens, cockerels, and other birds by treatment with estrogens (20, 23, 30-52). Large quantities of phospholipids and phosphoprotein in the serum of the laying hen are synthesized in the liver in response to estrogens (20, 49, 52), and the phospholipids and the phosphoprotein are transported and accumulated into ovarian follicles (20). Rissanen and Mietinen reported that inorganic mercury or alkoxy mercury derivatives possibly bound to the yolk proteins (9). These forms of mercurials would be transported into ovarian follicles via the circurating blood plasma in a yolk-protein bound form. There is a possibility that retention of mercury in birds may be controlled by treatment with estrogens. In this paper, the effect of estrogenization on distribution of radiomercury is compared between male and immature female quail and laying quail, and interrelationship among all the four entities, i.e., laying plsama, estrogens, plasma radiomercury, and yolk radiomercury, is discussed.

[学科分类] 药理学