Role of Leptin in Japanese Quail Development

Leptin, a hormone produced mainly by adipose tissue, controls energy balance and can also influence the embryonic development and growth. In our study we investigated the effects of leptin administration during the embryonic development on hatching rate, posthatching growth and development of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). At embryonic day 5, 0.1 µg or 1 µg of recombinant mice leptin in 50 µl of phosphate buffered saline was injected into the albumen of incubating eggs. Birds from each group were weighed daily and killed by decapitation at day 0, 2