Plasma thyroid hormone and growth hormone patterns in precocial Japanese quail and altricial European starlings during postnatal development

Abstract

Plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones (TH) and growth hormone (GH) during postnatal development in the precocial Japanese quail ( Coturnix japonica), and the altricial European starling ( Sturnus vulgaris) were measured. Developmental changes in plasma TH found in the starling, differ considerably from those detected in quail. In quail rather high triiodothyronine (T 3) values were measured during the first few days after hatching. Subsequently a steady decrease of plasma T 3, to adult levels, was observed. Thyroxine (T 4) concentrations did not change significantly during the period studied. In starlings, on day 1, plasma T 3 was low and T 4 was at or below the assay detection limit. An increase in concentrations of both hormones occurred between day 1 and day 5 after hatching. A gradual increase of T 4 occurred afterwards, while plasma T 3 levels remained nearly constant during this growing period. Plasma GH concentrations showed a similar pattern in both species. There was an increase during first days after hatching and GH concentrations peaked at day 7 in quail and day 5 in starlings. A subsequent decrease was observed in both species. Although the GH profiles in species studied were comparable, there were noticeable differences in their growth rates. Thus different developmental strategies have been reflected in different developmental patterns of TH in precocial Japanese quail and altricial European starling whereas developmental changes of GH levels were similar in both species.