Summary
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1.
Adult Japanese quail, fedad libitum, were subjected to different conditions of cold exposure and winter acclimatization, after which the concentrations of the principal lipid and carbohydrate metabolites were measured in the plasma, liver and muscle.
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2.
Cold exposure (3.5°C) for two hours produced a marked liver glycogenolysis, but muscle glycogen, plasma glucose and plasma free fatty acid concentrations remained unchanged.
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3.
Cold exposure (3.5°C) for 21 days produced no change in the concentration of plasma glucose, plasma free fatty acids, muscle and liver glycogen, but the food consumption of quail increased, and quail maintained their body weight.
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4.
Acute cold exposure (−18°C) for 30 minutes produced hypothermia, marked glycogenolysis in muscle and liver, and increased mobilization of plasma free fatty acids. This was also accompanied by hypoglycaemia in quail which were partially defeathered.
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5.
Winter acclimatized quail showed a significant hyperglycaemia and a lower plasma free fatty acid concentration, but the levels of muscle and liver glycogen were similar to those of controls.
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6.
Changes in the concentration of these parameters are discussed in relation to thermogenesis in birds in cold environments.
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Thomas, V.G., George, J.C. Changes in plasma, liver and muscle metabolite levels in Japanese quail exposed to different cold stress situations. J Comp Physiol B 100, 297–306 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691050
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691050