Sánchez J, García F, Planas J
Q J Exp Physiol. 1987 Jan;72(1):21-9. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1987.sp003052.
Determination of blood haematocrit and haemoglobin, plasma iron content, total iron binding capacity and phosphoprotein (vitellogenin), and the iron content of different organs (pectoral muscle, liver, spleen, intestine, femur bone marrow, blood, gonad and eggs, and feathers) were carried out in prelaying, onset of laying and full laying females, as well as in adult males. The whole iron content was also determined on incinerated specimens giving these results: 53.7 parts per million (p.p.m.) iron in the prelaying group, 54.5 p.p.m. iron at the onset of laying, 64.3 p.p.m. iron in full laying and 53.5 p.p.m. iron in males. The plumage represented 5-8% of the total body weight, and its iron content oscillated between 152-163 p.p.m. iron in males and non-laying females and 177.3 p.p.m. iron at full laying. The laying period induced important variations in plasma levels and in organ distribution, but not in haematological values. The first eggs laid were smaller (9.2 g) and richer in iron (427 micrograms iron) than those laid by older layers (11.8 g and 305 micrograms iron). The percentage distribution of the total iron content of organs was, in prelaying females: feathers, 21.9; blood, 56.6; pectoral muscle 8.1; liver, 9.7; intestine, 2.7. In laying females: 29.1; 46.6; 11.5; 7.4; 4.2. In males: 17.4; 59.6; 11.4; 7.9; 2.3. The increase in intestinal iron content in laying quails coincided with a double intake of food. This distribution differs from the mammalian model, as egg production (where each egg represented 2.5-5.5% of the total iron) and the great inert iron deposits in the plumage require an elaborate iron metabolism control system to cover all the iron needs in birds.
对产蛋前、开始产蛋和产蛋高峰期的雌性鹌鹑以及成年雄性鹌鹑进行了血液血细胞比容、血红蛋白、血浆铁含量、总铁结合力和磷蛋白（卵黄蛋白原）的测定，同时还测定了不同器官（胸肌、肝脏、脾脏、肠道、股骨骨髓、血液、性腺、卵子和羽毛）的铁含量。对经焚烧处理的样本也测定了总铁含量，结果如下：产蛋前组铁含量为百万分之53.7，开始产蛋时为百万分之54.5，产蛋高峰期为百万分之64.3，雄性为百万分之53.5。羽毛占总体重的5 - 8%，其铁含量在雄性和不产蛋雌性中为百万分之152 - 163，在产蛋高峰期为百万分之177.3。产蛋期引起了血浆水平和器官分布的重要变化，但对血液学指标无影响。最初产下的蛋较小（9.2克）且铁含量较高（427微克铁），比老鹌鹑产的蛋（11.8克和305微克铁）高。产蛋前雌性鹌鹑器官中铁总含量的百分比分布为：羽毛，21.9%；血液，56.6%；胸肌，8.1%；肝脏，9.7%；肠道，2.7%。产蛋雌性鹌鹑为：29.1%；46.6%；11.5%；7.4%；4.2%。雄性鹌鹑为：17.4%；59.6%；11.4%；7.9%；2.3%。产蛋鹌鹑肠道铁含量的增加与食物摄入量翻倍相吻合。这种分布与哺乳动物模型不同，因为产蛋（每个蛋占总铁量的2.5 - 5.5%）以及羽毛中大量惰性铁沉积需要一个复杂的铁代谢控制系统来满足鸟类所有的铁需求。
