Effects of pineal indoles and parachlorophenylalanine on seasonal reproduction in the pigeon

The effect of melatonin, methoxytryptophol (ML), methoxytryptamine (MT) and parachlorophenylalanine (p-CPA) on the mass and histology of the testes and the adrenal and thyroid glands and on serum thyroid hormone levels have been studied in the recrudescent phase of the feral pigeon Columba livia. All the pineal indoles showed a common anti-gonadal effect, resulting in the arrest of spermatogenesis and the degeneration of germ cells. Treatment with melatonin resulted in adreno-cortical enlargement and medullary hypertrophy, whereas ML, MT and p-CPA induced medullary enlargement and hypertrophy without having much influence on the cortex. Treatment with melatonin and ML brought about colloid retention in the thyroid follicles, while MT and p-CPA induced colloid depletion and hypertrophy of the follicular epithelium. From the present study, it can be concluded that both pineal indoles and p-CPA induce testicular regression in the breeding phase but do so by different mechanisms.