Histological observations on the quail oviduct; with reference to pigment (porphyrin) in the uterus

　鳥類の卵の卵表の色素形成については，いまだ不明確な点が多いが，うずらを用いて色素形成に関する形態学的観察をおこなった.
　うずら卵管では肉眼的に，子宮に限って著明な濃褐色の着色と赤色螢光がみとめられ，これは凍結切片上その粘膜上皮lこ存する.これは産卵時期により変化し，白色卵殻の卵を子宮lこ含むときもっとも著明であるが，着色した卵を含むときもっとも弱い.一方，卵表の色彩はクチクラ色素により発現され，この色素は赤色後光を発する.子宮およびクチクラの色素は共に鉱酸lこよく溶解し，強い2次後光を発する.両者の主としてメチルエステルの吸収スベクトルを求めた結果，それぞれSORET 帯を有し，porphyrin であることを示し，かつFISHER & KÖGLのooporphyrin と類似のスベクトルを示した.
　組織学的には，色素は子宮粘膜上皮の繊毛細胞(apical cell) に認められる.この色素穎粒は産卵時期に伴って著変し，肉眼的ならびに凍結切片上の所見と一致する.従って本細胞からクチクラ色素が分泌されると考えられる.
　また本細胞にはPAS 反応陽性の粗大穎粒が認められ，色素頼粒の増減とほぼ平行した関係を示す.これは，クチクラ形成と関係があると考えられる.

The present study was undertaken in an effort to clarify the portion where the pigment of the egg-covering are formed in the Japanese quail oviduct. Results obtained and conclusion reached may be summarized as follows:

1. The mucous membrane of the uterus in laying state colors in dark brown and fluoresces strongly red color. In addition, also the uterine liquid fluoresces red color. Microscopically, the coloration and the fluorescence of the uterus are represented by the yellow or brown pigment granules in the apical cells of the mucous epithelium.

2. The colored figures in the surface of the egg are represented by the pigment embedded in the cuticule, cuticular pigment. This pigment is granular, brown and fluorescent in red. In the present study, this pigment was dealt. The shell surface of the egg are white or faint greenish or bluish, and non-fluorescent.

3. The pigment of the cuticule and the uterine epithelium show such similarities as yellow or brown color, granular nature, solubility in metalic acid solutions, primary and secondary fluorescence in red color, and these characters are peculiar to porphyrin.

4. Absorption maxima of the pigments in the uterus and in the cuticule were measured in methylester-form and SORET band is presented in each spectrum, so that these two pigments are porphyrins. Moreover, these spectra contain some of the absorption maxima corresponded with those of ooporphyrin described by FISCHER & KÖGL.

5. The utrine pigment is fixed well in REGAuo's solution and ZENKER-formol and disappeared in CARNOY's or BOUIN's solution.

6. The uterine pigment changes in the volume of the granules in the apical cells related to the egg-formation cycle; that is, in the uterus containing a calcified white egg the granules are accumulated in the cells and in the uterus containing a colored egg, the granules are little in each of these cells, and in post-layed state, the volume of the granules are variable. Accordingly, this pigment granule may be considered as secreted in the cells and released to cuticular pigment in the uterine lumen.

7. In the apical cells, also, the PAS positive granules are observable. These granules present feautres in their volumes showing parallel to the pigment granules. Therefore, the granules, too, may be taked as secred and released with the pigment granule, and thought to be related with the cuticular formation.