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Updated: Aug 4, 2025

Separation of Avian Preovulatory Follicle Granulosa and Theca Cell Layers for Downstream Applications
Published on: October 25, 2024
Endocrine and molecular regulation mechanisms of follicular development and egg-laying in quails under different
Xiaoli Zhou1,2, Danli Jiang1,2, Yanglong Xu1,2
1College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Photoperiod is a key environmental factor in regulating bird reproduction and induces neuroendocrine changes through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. OPN5, as a deep-brain photoreceptor, transmits light signals to regulate follicular development through TSH-DIO2/DIO3. However, the mechanism among OPN5, TSH-DIO2/DIO3, and VIP/PRL in the HPG axis underlying the photoperiodic regulation of bird reproduction is unclear. In this study, 72 laying quails with 8-week-old were randomly divided into the long-day (LD) group [16 light (L): 8 dark (D)] and the short-day (SD) group (8 L:16 D), and then samples were collected on d 1, d 11, d 22, and d 36 of the experiment. The results showed that compared with the LD group, the SD group significantly inhibited follicular development (P < 0.05), decreased the P4, E2, LH, and PRL in serum (P < 0.05), downregulated the expression of GnRHR, VIP, PRL, OPN5, DIO2, and LHβ (P < 0.05), reduced the expression of GnRH and TSHβ (P > 0.05), and promoted DIO3, GnIH gene expression (P < 0.01). The short photoperiod downregulates OPN5, TSHβ, and DIO2 and upregulates DIO3 expression to regulate the GnRH/GnIH system. The downregulation of GnRHR and upregulation of GnIH resulted in a decrease in LH secretion, which withdrew the gonadotropic effects on ovarian follicles development. Slow down of follicular development and egg laying may also arise from lack of PRL potentiation to small follicle development under short days.
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