• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.255-258
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the distribution and morphological properties of mast cells in the ileum of Korean pheasant. In the ileum mast cells were located in the lamina propria of mucoase. The cells were mainly oval with irregular cell surface occasionally spindle-like or triangular in shape. Some mast cells had one or more tail-like long cytoplasmic processes. All mast cells had many blue granules stained by toluidine blue in the cytoplasm.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.66-75
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• 2008

The level of genetic diversity and genetic relationships among Korean ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus karpowi) habitat and subspecies have been investigated based on Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Wild and domesticated Korean ring-necked pheasant, hybrids between domesticated Korean ring-necked and foreign subspecies, and four foreign subspecies; Chinese ring-necked (P. c. torquatus), Melanistic mutant (P. c. mut. tenebrosus), XL White (P. c. mut) and Southern green (P. c. versicolor) were used for comparison. On the basis of the results of AMOV A, 94.08% of genetic diversity in Korean ring-necked was allocated among individuals within habitat differences. Estimate of $\Phi$st, which represents the degree of genetic differentiation among habitats was 5.9%. Based on the dendrogram reconstructed by UPGMA, Yangpyung habitat of the eight habitats turned out to be distinct from others habitat. Interestingly, domesticated Korean ring-necked and hybrid mixture showed closer genetic relationship with four foreign subspecies than Korean ring-necked. As a consequence of AMOVA, 96.63% of genetic diversity in four foreign subspecies was allocated among individuals within subspecies. Estimate of $\Phi$st representing the degree of genetic differentiation among subspecies was 3.4%, which was lower than that among habitats of Korean ring-necked. The lower level of genetic difference among four foreign subspecies showed that these subspecies were genetically closer even though they were morphologically classified into four different subspecies. When seven habitats of Korean ring-necked pheasant and four foreign subspecies were divided into Korean and Foreign Pheasant Groups, respectively, more than 17% of genetic diversity was allocated between groups (about 4% among habitats/subspecies within groups). This observation implied that Korean ring-necked pheasant is genetically quite different from four foreign subspecies. On the basis of cluster analysis, three foreign subspecies (Chinese ring-necked pheasant, Melanistic mutant pheasant, and XL White pheasant) formed a distinct group with domesticated Korean ring-necked pheasant and hybrid mixture at 98% confidence interval.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the embryonic developmental changes of the pineal gland during incubating period in the Korean pheasant. The pheasant embryos and fetuses were killed after 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 19 and 23 (hatching) days of incubation. The morphological characteristics of a pineal gland were determined in all embryos and fetuses using the whole - mount technique, light microscopy and morphometry. The time of the first apparition of the pineal anlage, as a derivative of the roof of the third ventricle, was fixed at 3 days of incubation. The pineal vesicles appeared as solid mammilliform projections, which subsequently presented a central lumen, at 4 days of incubation. The pineal parenchyma was composed of the tubular pineal recess, the lobules surrounded with septum originating from the capsule and the follicles possessed central lumen at 23 days of incubation. The length, width and area of the pineal gland were increased markedly at 9 and 15 days of incubation. These results suggest that the pineal recess has an important role in the pineal development after hatching.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2002

The study was designed to investigate the aspects of the goblet cell of the oviduct in laying Korean ring-necked pheasants by histochemical methods (PAS, alcian blue-PAS, alcian blue pH 2.5, alcian blue pH 1.0, and aldehyde fuchsin-alcian blue stain). Twelve laying Korean ring-necked pheasants were used. The results were summarized as follows. The goblet cell of the oviduct of the Korean ring-necked pheasant contained sulfated acid mucosubstances and neutral mucosubstances in the infundibulum. The compounds of sulfated acid mucosubstances, nonsulfated acid mucosubstances, and neutral mucosubstances are present in goblet cells of the magnum, vagina and openings of the tubular gland of the uterus of the oviduct in the Korean ring-necked pheasant. The goblet cell of the isthmus and uterus of the oviduct of the Korean ring-necked pheasant contained neutral mucosubstances except openings of the tubular gland of the uterus. The histochemical characteristics of secretory granules of goblet cells in oviduct of the Korean ring-necked pheasant were not related to the position of eggs in oviduct.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.299-308
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• 2002

The purpose of this morphometric study was to obtain detailed quantitative information on all cell types in the testis interstitium of Korean ring-necked pheasants combined with data on changes in the steroidogenic function of the testis during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Animals collected during the breeding season, testis weights, sperm production, serum testosterone levels, leuteinizing hormone-stimulated testosterone secretion, and the length of the seminiferous tubules were significantly (p < 0.05) increased as compared to the nonbreeding season. Seminiferous tubules occupied 93.25% of testis volume in the breeding season. Leydig cells constituted 0.82% of the testicular volume. The mean volume of an Leydig cell was $1039{\mu}m^3$, and each testis contained about 24.53 million Leydig cells. Testes of the pheasants during the nonbreeding season displayed a 98% reduction in testis volume that was associated with a decrease in the absolute volume of seminiferous tubules (98% reduction), tubular lumen(100%), interstitium(90%), blood vessels(84%), lymphatic spaces(97%), Leydig cells(79%), mesenchymal cells(51%), and myoid cells(61%). The number of Leydig cells, mesenchymal cells, myoid cells per testis in the breeding season was higher (p < 0.05) than in the nonbreeding season. Although the average volume of a Leydig cell was 74% lower in the nonbreeding season, the average volume of a myoid and mesenchymal cell remained unchanged. These results demonstrate that there are a striking differences in the testicular structure of the Korean ring-necked pheasant in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Every structural parameter of the Leydig cell was pasitively correlated with both serum and LH-stimulated secretion concentrations of testosterone. Correlation of changes in hormonal status with morphometric alterations of all Leydig cell suggests that the Korean-ring necked pheasant may be used as a model to study structure-function relations in the avian testis.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.267-274
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• 2001

The pineal gland of the bird occupies a key position in the phylogenetic evolution of this organ. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental changes of the pineal gland during post-hatching period in Korean pheasant. The pheasants were sacrificed at 1-day-, 1-month-, 2-month-, and 6-month-old after hatching. The morphological characteristics of a pineal glands were determined in all pheasants using light microscope, and transmission electron microscope. Connective tissue originated from the capsule divided the pineal parenchyma into incomplete lobules. The parenchyma was consisted of pinealocytes and supportive cells. These parenchymal cells were arranged in the forms of solid lobules as well as incomplete follicles. At the follicular lumen, membraneous lamellar complexes and blob -like structures were present. Pinealocyte, a predominent cell type, had euchromatic nucleus, and showed the segmental organization. The bulbous apical portion had scanty free ribosomes and occasional cilia associated with basal bodies. The constricted neck, transitional portion from apical to pericarya had junctional complexes with adjacent supportive cells, and had microtubules. Cell body contained abundant mitochondria, well-developed Golgi complex, rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and free ribosomes. Basal processes extended from the base of the cell soma toward the basal lamina and contained 60∼90 nm dense cored vesicles. Supportive cells, another major type of the parenchyma, were characterized by the dense and elongated nucleus, and contained moderate number of mitochondria, RER, developed Golgi complex, free ribosomes and a few dense bodies in the perinuclear cytoplasm. Slender processes of supportive cells interposed between the pinealocytes and often bordered the basal region of the parenchyma. These results indicate that the pinealocytes of the pheasant are not rudimentary photoreceptor cells, and appear to have secretory function. Further studies will be required to confirm the morphological characteristics of pineal gland in adult pheasant during breeding and nonbreeding season.