Retinoic Acid Accelerates the Testicular Maturation in Japanese Quail

Abstract

Three experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of retinoic acid (RA) on the testicular maturation in Japanese quail. Male quail were fed RA diet (RAD) or retinyl acetate diet (VAD) from hatching or after feeding with vitamin A-free diet (BD) for 1, 2 or 3 weeks. The testes and the cloacal gland grew more quickly in quail fed RAD than in those fed VAD at each experiment regardless of the periods of feeding with BD. However, there were not significant differences in testicular weights or in the cloacal sizes between the treatments at 6 weeks of age. These results indicate that RA accelerates the testicular maturation in Japanese quail.