LES CELLULES SECRETRICES TESTICULAIRES DU POUSSIN DE LA CAILLE JAPONAISE: DIFFERENCIATION DE LEUR ULTRASTRUCTURE ET RAPPORTS AVEC LEURS POTENTIALITES STEROIDOGENES.

The differentiation of the Quail testis progresses slowly after hatching. The Leydig cells, not yet typical, store up lipids which indicate already their future capacities; Δ -3β HSDH activity being rather low, the conversion from pregnenolone into progesterone is restricted. However, differentiation accelerates from the third week on, after the beginning of germ cell meiosis.