The adrenergic innervation of the pulmonary vasculature,the lung and the thoracic aorta,and on the presence of aortic bodies in the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus L.)

Summary The Falck-Hillarp technique for the localisation of biogenic amines has been used to examine the adrenergic innervation of the thoracic vasculature and lung, and to demonstrate the occurrence of aortic bodies in the domestic fowl. The proximal pulmonary vein is very densely innervated but distally the innervation becomes sparse. The pulmonary artery is sparsely innervated over its whole length. The bronchial muscle of the lung has little adrenergic innervation and fluorescent cell bodies are absent from the lung. The thoracic aorta receives a moderate adrenergic innervation. In the region of the aortic arch and pulmonary arteries groups of fluorescent cells are common. Extramedullary chromaffin cells and small, intensely fluorescent cells occur within these groups. In the media of the aorta and pulmonary artery other types of fluorescent cells are found. These results are discussed in the light of previous observations.Part of this work was performed while the author was a postdoctoral research fellow of the National Heart Foundation of Australia. His thanks are due to Prof. G. Burnstock for use of laboratory facilities.     

Fertilizing competency of multiple ovulated eggs in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus)

Fertilizing competency of multiple ovulated eggs in the domestic fowl was examined by fertilization in vitro and early development in culture. Normal laying hens (White Leghorn) were treated with 75 IU of PMSG for 7 days followed by injection of anterior pituitary extracts from chickens (CAPE). Ovulation began to occur 7.5 h after injection of CAPE. These hens ovulated 1-7 ova but some premature ovulation of GV stage ova were observed. In vitro fertilization of the multiple ovulated ova was examined by inseminating 10(6)-10(7) sperm onto the germinal disks in m-Ringer's solution. The gamete or zygote nuclei were detected by DNA specific fluorescence using DAPI (4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole) in the histological section prepared from the germinal disk. Process of fertilization was examined in the eggs incubated for 4 h after insemination in DMEM + liquid albumen at 41 degrees C under the atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. Fertilization rate of the total multiple ovulated eggs was 55% (11/20), in which 90% (9/10) and 10% (1/10) in the eggs recovered 7.5-8.5 h and 9.0-9.5 h after CAPE injection were obtained, respectively. Normal pronuclei were formed in five eggs of those recovered 7.5-8.5 h after CAPE injection. Early development after fertilization in vitro was also examined by incubation for 12 h in DMEM + liquid albumen at 41 degrees C under the atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. Although development in vitro was delayed compared to that in utero condition, normal development was observed in naturally and multiple ovulated eggs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells and sympathetic nerves in the adult rabbit portal vein and during perinatal development

Summary The ontogenesis of small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells and the adrenergic nerve plexus is described in stretch preparations of the rabbit portal vein. On the 25 to 26th days of gestation there was a predominance of SIF cells (8 to 30 m in diameter), but a few nerve fibres in bundles were also present. Each portal vein preparation contained 6 to 9 groups of cells. The distribution and number of SIF cells and nerve bundles remained constant until the 31st day of gestation at which stage the number of SIF cells had decreased, while the density of the nerve plexus had increased approximately 4-fold. The adult portal vein exhibited a dense adrenergic plexus, but SIF cells were absent from nine out of ten preparations.     

Early nuclear events of in vitro fertilization in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus)

In vitro fertilization in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) was investigated by observation of the early nuclear events. Ova retrieved from the fimbria following ovulation were inseminated in vitro with 10(6)-10(7) spermatozoa in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) for 10 min and then further incubated in DMEM + albumen for 1, 2, 3, or 4 hr. These eggs were histologically examined by epifluorescent microscopy after staining with 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Nuclei of spermatozoa at various stages of transformation were observed in the ova incubated for 1-3 hr. Close pairing of two pronuclei, presumed to be male and female juxtaposition, was detected in ova incubated for 4 hr. These data provide direct evidence for the in vitro fertilization of fowl eggs and suggested that the early process of in vitro fertilization is comparable to that of in vivo fertilization.     

寿光鸡ADSL基因5′调控区的克隆、序列分析以及单核苷酸多态性的研究

腺苷酸琥珀酸裂解酶(ADSL)是双功能酶,催化嘌呤核苷酸的起始合成与嘌呤核苷酸的循环。通过对寿光鸡ADSL 5′调控区1035bp的序列进行克隆和测序分析,发现其具有典型的管家基因特征：没有真核基因明显的TATA盒和CAAT盒出现,并且位于起始密码子(ATG)前234个碱基具有非常高的GC含量达72．65％。在邻近起始密码子“ATG”处,5′调控区含有两个核呼吸因子-2(NRF-2),在相同位置上人类ADSL基因也具有与此类似的两个核呼吸因子-2结合位点,被认为在嘌呤核苷酸合成途径起到重要作用。值得一提的是位于寿光鸡5′侧翼调控区-27号碱基发生C→T突变,存在于所有研究的寿光鸡个体中,频率为1。该突变使得本来不是NRF-2(核呼吸因子2)结合位点的CTCC突变为NRF-2结合位点CTTC。而人类却恰恰与此相反第一个NRF-2结合位点发生了突变(CTTC→CTCC),并导致出现ADSL缺陷症状。     

Ground-roosting in domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus) in The Gambia: the anticipation of night

The ground-roosting behaviour of a semi-feral population of domestic hens with broods of chicks was measured in The Gambia, West Africa. Although neither day length nor time of sunset changed significantly over the duration of the study (January–March 1995), mean daily light intensity showed a significant increase. This resulted in an increasingly rapid decline in light intensity at dusk as the season progressed. Hens went to roost significantly later in the day, and at lower light levels, over the course of the season. The results support a model suggesting that the cue to start roosting is a certain light level, constant over the season, but the `settling period' required means that the hens finally roost at later times and at lower light levels as the season progresses.     

广东省原鸡种群数量、分布及栖息地现状的初步调查

广东原鸡栖息地分布在徐闻,雷州,信宜,高州,阳春5个县（市）,为孤立的三块,呈岛屿状分布,总面积2501.62km^2,总体数量680-750只,原鸡数量最多,面积最大的一块栖息地是由信宜,高州,阳春3块小栖息地组合而成,成为广东原鸡的主要栖息和分布地。     

The excretion of urate and cationic electrolytes by the kidney of the male domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus)

Summary Four groups of roosters were obtained from combinations of high and low protein diets (33% or 11%), and two drinking solutions (tap water or 1% NaCl solution). Ureteral urine was analyzed for urate, Na⁺ and K⁺, in both the liquid and precipitated fractions of the urine.Birds fed a high protein diet-salt water combination excreted unusually large amounts of urate. In all groups, most of the excreted urate was in the form of a precipitate. This precipitate also contained large amounts of Na⁺ and K⁺ (Table 2).The presence of abundant urinary urate, due to high protein diet and large NaCl intake, aids in the excretion of Na⁺ and K⁺, by reducing their contribution to the osmotic pressure of the urine. However, some of these cations, although present in the urine precipitates, do not appear to be in the form of monobasic urate salts. The significance of urate in the excretion of electrolytes is discussed.We wish to thank Dr. Paul B. Siegel, Department of Poultry Science, V.P.I. and S.U., who generously supplied the roosters used in this study. We also wish to thank Mr. Douglas Bartley for his determination of urine pH values, and Dr. Alan G. Heath for the use of his microelectrode pH apparatus. This work was supported by USPHS-NIH grant, number AM 14991.     

Distribution of CRF- and tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in the brainstem of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus)

The distribution of CRF and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive neurons was examined in the brainstem of the chicken. Very dense populations of both CRF and TH-immunoreactive (-ir) perikarya are co-extensive in separate neuronal systems throughout a large field of the rostral brainstem, encompassing locus ceruleus, the mesencephalic reticular formation, parabrachial nucleus, and the dorsal and ventral tegmental areas. They are present also in nucleus tractus solitarius, and sparsely in the ventral and lateral areas of the medulla. This co-distribution suggests that the effects of CRF upon central autonomic activity may be mediated via brainstem catecholamine systems. CRF-ir neurons alone are present also in midline nuclei, including n. centralis superior, n.annularis, n.linearis caudalis, and the raphe.     

Effects of genetic selection on growth rate and intestinal structure in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus)

1. Pieces of small intestine taken from chickens subjected previously to continuous selection, relaxed selection or no selection for rapid growth were used to estimate villus surface area and microvillus development to determine what effects genetic selection might have on factors controlling intestinal function. 2. Crypt size and the rates at which enterocytes migrated out of crypts were also measured, after injection of tritiated thymidine, to determine the time course of microvillus elongation. 3. Differences in growth rates measured between highly selected, relaxed selected or unselected birds were found to be correlated with parallel changes in villus surface area. Selection for growth did not change the density, dimensions or pattern of development of enterocyte microvilli. Microvilli did, however, produce a maximal 20-fold increase in villus surface area under all conditions. 4. Crypt size and enterocyte migration rates did not vary significantly between tissue taken from unselected and relaxed selected chickens. Tissue taken from highly selected birds had a crypt size and enterocyte migration rate 40% higher than values found for the other two groups of chickens. 5. The possibility that early genetic selection increased growth potential by uncoupling diet-induced changes on crypt hyperplasia from secondary effects on villus structure, and that later selection increased growth potential by increasing appetite, is discussed.