Food and water are closely associated with reproductive willingness in vertebrates. These are important for animals and their non‐availability act as stressors which decrease sex steroid secretion suppressing reproductive behaviour. Oestrogen plays a crucial role in reproduction via its receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ). This study tested the hypothesis that ERα in testes of male Japanese quail is regulated during water and food deprivations. The present study reveals that both water and food deprivations cause oxidative stress and subsequently decrease catalase and superoxide dismutase activity, while these increase malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. Both deprivations reduce plasma oestradiol whereas elevate corticosterone level. The immunofluorescent localization of ERα in the testes occurs predominantly in the seminiferous tubules of control while reduces after both food and water deprivations. All types of spermatogenic cells were seen in control testis, while after water and food deprivations size of seminiferous tubules and spermatogenic cells population decreased. Scanning electron microscopic study exhibited fully mature sperms in clusters with head and elongated flagellum, whereas after water deprivation maximum sperms were distorted, scattered with highly reduced head. On food deprivation, only few sperms were seen with head and tail. Thus, taking into account the localization of ERα in testis, it is obvious that oestrogens produced locally are involved in regulation of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis during stress.

中文翻译：

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水和食物限制降低雌激素受体 α 的免疫反应性和性成熟 Coturnix coturnix japonica 睾丸中的抗氧化活性。

食物和水与脊椎动物的生殖意愿密切相关。这些对动物很重要，它们的不可用性充当压力源，减少性类固醇分泌，抑制生殖行为。雌激素通过其受体 α (ERα) 和β (ERβ) 在生殖中起着至关重要的作用。本研究检验了雄性日本鹌鹑睾丸中的 ERα 在缺水和食物匮乏期间受到调节的假设。目前的研究表明，水和食物的剥夺都会导致氧化应激，随后会降低过氧化氢酶和超氧化物歧化酶的活性，而这些会增加丙二醛和过氧化氢。两种剥夺都会降低血浆雌二醇，而提高皮质酮水平。ERα 在睾丸中的免疫荧光定位主要发生在对照的生精小管中，而在食物和水剥夺后都会减少。在对照睾丸中可见所有类型的生精细胞，而在水和食物剥夺后生精小管的大小和生精细胞数量减少。扫描电子显微镜研究显示完全成熟的精子成簇状，头部和鞭毛细长，而在水分剥夺后，最大的精子扭曲，散落，头部高度减少。在食物剥夺时，只有少数精子有头部和尾部。因此，考虑到 ERα 在睾丸中的定位，很明显，局部产生的雌激素参与了应激期间精子发生和精子发生的调节。