Prehatch entrainment of circadian rhythms in the domestic chick using different light regimes

Hill, Wendy L.; Bassi, Kimberly L.; Bonaventura, Leean; Sacus, Jacqueline E.

doi:10.1002/dev.20021

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 56 publications

(77 reference statements)

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“…However, fear reactions were only reduced consistently in the 12L:12D birds, suggesting that additional mechanisms could underlie the responses we observed. Other possibilities include the effects of incubation lighting on patterns of hormone secretion associated with the establishment of circadian rhythms (Zeman et al, 1992;Hill et al, 2004), or epigenetic influences (Keverne and Curley, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposing avian embryos to light affects post-hatch anti-predator fear responses

Archer

Mench

2017

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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Environmental stimuli present during incubation can impact the behavior of birds post-hatch. To determine the effect of exposing broiler chicken embryos to light on fearrelated behavior post-hatch, we conducted two experiments in which we incubated eggs under various light schedules, and then measured fear responses when the chickens (N = 720) were 3-6 wk of age. In Expt. 1, the incubation photoperiods were 0L:24D, 12L:12D, and 24L:0D, and tonic immobility (TI) and inversion (INV) tests were administered. In Expt. 2, the incubation photoperiods were 0L:24D, 1L:23D, 6L:18D, and 12L:12D; and an approach test (APPR) and an emergence (EMRG) test were administered in addition to TI and INV. In Expt. 1, both 12L:12D and 24L:0D had shorter latencies to right during TI (213.5 ± 23.7 and 231.8 ± 24.2 sec, respectively) than 0L:24D (305.5 ±26.1 sec) and also wing flapped less intensely during INV (12L:12D 5.0 ±0.1 wing flaps; 24L:0D 5.4 ±0.2) than 0L:24D (5.7 ±0.1). In Expt. 2, the 12L:12D birds once again had shorter latencies to right during TI (120.0 ±16.5 sec) and wing flapped less intensely during INV (4.7 ± 0.1 wing flaps) than 0L:24D (201.2 ± 24.9 and 5.5 ± 0.1, respectively). They also had shorter latencies to exit the dark box in EMRG (28.9 ±3.3 seconds), and were less active (28 ± 2%), vocalized less (178.8 ± 9.3 times/3min) and spent more time closer to the observer during APPR (63 ± 3%) than 0L:12D(42.9 ± 5.0 seconds, 35 ± 3%, 211.2 ± 10.4 times/3 min, 51 ± 3). The 1L:23D and 6L:18D showed some reductions in fearfulness compared to 0L:24D, but these were not consistent across tests. The 6L:18D and 12L:12D birds demonstrated lateralization in the direction to leave the box in EMRG, whereas 1L:23D and 0L:12D exited left or right at chance levels. The results of these experiments indicate that providing at 12 hours of light stimulation daily g embryogenesis results in long-term reductions in fearfulness as measured by multiple tests, and that this may be related to cerebral lateralization. In conjunction with other research, these findings show that light exposure during embryogenesis has important implications for behavioral phenotypes and welfare in chickens.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposing avian embryos to light affects post-hatch anti-predator fear responses

Archer

Mench

2017

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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“…However, the roles of melatonin and circadian function during embryogenesis in chicks are not yet understood. The pineal gland differentiates by E3 in chick embryos [40], but melatonin release is not detected until E13–E14 [41], and photo entrainment is not established before E13 [42], [43]. Further, regulation of the circadian clock gene in the suprachiasmatic nucleus is first detected at E16, in the pineal gland at E18 [44], and in retina photoreceptors at E19 [45].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light Accelerates Morphogenesis and Acquisition of Interlimb Stepping in Chick Embryos

Sindhurakar

Bradley

2012

PLoS ONE

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Chicks are bipedal precocious vertebrates that achieve adaptive locomotor skill within hours after hatching. Development of limb movement has been extensively studied in the chicken embryo, but few studies have focused on the preparations leading to precocious locomotor skill. Chicks typically hatch after 21 days of incubation, and recent studies provided evidence that the neural circuits for intralimb control of stepping are established between embryonic days (E) 18–20. It has also been shown that variations in light exposure during embryogenesis can accelerate or delay the onset of hatching and walking by 1 to 2 days. Our earlier work revealed that despite these differences in time to hatch, chicks incubated in different light conditions achieved similar locomotor skill on the day of hatching. Results suggested to us that light exposure during incubation may have accelerated development of locomotor circuits in register with earlier hatching. Thus, in this study, embryos were incubated in 1 of 3 light conditions to determine if development of interlimb coordination at a common time point, 19 days of incubation, varied with light exposure during embryogenesis. Leg muscle activity was recorded bilaterally and burst analyses were performed for sequences of spontaneous locomotor-related activity in one or more ankle muscles to quantify the extent of interlimb coordination in ovo. We report findings indicating that the extent of interlimb coordination varied with light exposure, and left-right alternating steps were a more reliable attribute of interlimb coordination for embryos incubated in constant bright light. We provide evidence that morphological development of the leg varied with light exposure. Based on these findings, we propose that light can accelerate the development of interlimb coordination in register with earlier hatching. Our results lead us to further propose that alternating left-right stepping is the default pattern of interlimb coordination produced by locomotor circuits during embryogenesis.

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“…Thus, light may influence gene expression during early development (d1 to d5 in chickens embryos), thereby accelerating the growth process (Shafey 2004). After the formation of the pineal gland (H-H stage 17, d3 in chickens), entrainment of the avian embryo to photoperiod is mediated by production of melatonin (Hill et al 2004). Light reduces melatonin production (Akasaka et al 1995) while increased melatonin production occurs at night (Dawson & Van't Hof 2002).…”

Section: H O W L I G H T a F F E C T S E M B R Y O N I C D E V E L O mentioning

confidence: 99%

Light increases the rate of embryonic development: implications for latitudinal trends in incubation period

et al. 2011

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Summary1. In wild birds, incubation period shortens and the general pace of life quickens with distance from the equator. Temperature and various biotic factors, including adult behaviours, cannot fully account for longer incubation periods of equatorial birds and only explain some of the variation between tropical and temperate life histories. Here we consider the role of differences in light in driving variation in incubation period. In poultry, incubation periods can be experimentally shortened by exposing eggs to light. The positive influence of light on embryonic growth, called photoacceleration, can begin within hours after an egg is laid. 2. We artificially incubated house sparrow (Passer domesticus) eggs under photoperiods similar to those found at temperate (18Light : 6Dark) and tropical (12L : 12D) latitudes. We also measured embryonic metabolic rate during light and dark phases. 3. Eggs of house sparrows collected from the wild developed more rapidly under 'temperate' than 'tropical' photoperiods and had higher metabolic rates during phases of light exposure than during phases of darkness. Metabolic rates during light phases were high enough to account for a 1 day difference in incubation periods between temperate and tropical birds. 4. Based on a synthesis of photoacceleration studies on domesticated galliformes and our experimental results on a wild passerine, we provide the first support for the testable hypothesis that differences in photoperiod may influence variation in the rate of embryonic development across latitudes in birds.

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Prehatch entrainment of circadian rhythms in the domestic chick using different light regimes

Cited by 16 publications

References 56 publications

Exposing avian embryos to light affects post-hatch anti-predator fear responses

Exposing avian embryos to light affects post-hatch anti-predator fear responses

Light Accelerates Morphogenesis and Acquisition of Interlimb Stepping in Chick Embryos

Light increases the rate of embryonic development: implications for latitudinal trends in incubation period

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