Transplantation of ovaries in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

Anim Reprod Sci. 2008 May;105(3-4):430-7. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2007.12.024. Epub 2008 Jan 9.

Abstract

This study aimed to extend techniques of ovarian transplantation from chickens to Japanese quail. Ovarian tissue was surgically transplanted from chicks obtained from a line of white-breasted (wb/wb) to those of wild-type (+/+) quail at 1-day of age or at 1 week, with or without subsequent administration of the immunosuppressant, mycophenolate mofetil. Only one out of seven quail (14.3%) transplanted at 1-day of age survived the surgery but 14 of 18 quail (77.8%) transplanted at a week of age survived and grew to sexual maturity. In the 8-week progeny test, among those quail that produced offspring, one of four in the non-immunosuppressed group and all five in the immuosuppressed group produced donor-derived offspring. The proportion of donor-derived to host-derived offspring from five quail in the immnuosuppressed group (173/57) was significantly higher than that from one quail that was not immunosuppressed (3/47). These results suggest that quail ovaries can be transplanted at the age of 1 week and that the immnunosuppressant, mycophenolate mofetil, used for mammalian organ transplantation can suppress immunological rejection in birds. These transplantation techniques could provide an efficient means of recovering a line of quail after cryopreservation.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Coturnix / physiology*
  • Coturnix / surgery*
  • Feathers / physiology
  • Female
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Mycophenolic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Mycophenolic Acid / pharmacology
  • Ovary / transplantation*
  • Oviposition / physiology
  • Phenotype

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Mycophenolic Acid