The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of recombinant chicken leptin administered to fed ad libitum and feed-restricted immature chickens of a layer strain on ovarian development and the timing of sexual maturity. In the first experiment 11-week-old pullets (77 days of age) fed ad libitum were injected daily with leptin at four dose levels (4, 16, 64 and 256 microg/kg body weight) until sexual maturity (lay of the first egg). Leptin treatment at the highest dose significantly (P<0.05) advanced the onset of puberty (day 116.3+/-1.0) in comparison to controls (day 121.3+/-1.2). The rises of luteinizing hormone, estradiol and progesterone in blood plasma were also advanced by leptin treatment. In the second experiment, both full-fed and feed-restricted pullets (79 days of age) were injected daily with leptin (256 microg/kg body weight). In birds fed ad libitum, exogenous leptin again significantly (P<0.05) advanced first ovipostion (day 118.4+/-1.4 versus day 124.4+/-1.7), while abolishing the significant (P<0.05) delay caused by feed restriction (day 131.5+/-1.6) and restoring the normal onset of sexual maturity (day 125.7+/-1.6). Analysis of the ovaries in 106-day-old pullets revealed that leptin injections advanced follicular development, particularly in birds fed ad libitum, and significantly (P<0.01) reduced follicular apoptosis both in full-fed and feed-restricted birds. In conclusion, we have shown that in female chickens exogenous leptin advances the onset of puberty by attenuation of ovarian apoptosis and enhancement of folliculogenesis.