Circadian rhythm of free fatty acid levels in plasma and pectoralis muscle of the pigeon∗∗

The financial support of the National Research Council of Canada is gratefully acknowledged. This paper is number 017 in the University of Guelph Migration Series.

Abstract

The levels of free fatty acids (FFA) in the plasma and pectoralis muscle were studied in the pigeon under a 12‐hr photoperiod at 25 C. The plasma FFA level was found to be at its peak in the middle of the scotophase and low at the end of the same phase, while the muscle FFA level registered a rise reaching the peak at the end of this phase to drop to the low towards the middle of the photophase. In the light of these observations, the existence of a circadian rhythm in the FFA levels of the plasma and pectoralis muscle in the pigeon, is suggested.

Abstracting keywords:

• circadian rhythms
• fatty acid rhythms
• pectoralis muscle
• pigeon

Notes

Dept of Zoology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

The financial support of the National Research Council of Canada is gratefully acknowledged. This paper is number 017 in the University of Guelph Migration Series.