Effects of exogenous melatonin on some endocrine, behavioural and metabolic parameters in Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica.

1. Melatonin administration in drinking water (5 micrograms/ml) to Japanese quail resulted in a 20-fold increase of plasma melatonin levels in comparison with the control, day time concentration (0.34 +/- 0.

Activity of ornithine decarboxylase in muscle of Japanese quail in hypergravity conditions.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the rate limiting enzyme in the synthesis of polyamines which are generally required for animal cell proliferation. Because of many different stimuli changing the activity of ODC, the effect of hypergravity on muscle ODC activity in Japanese quail was investigated. Adult Japanese quail cockerels were exposed to 2G in the centrifuge permanently for 96 hours.