The Quail Embryonic Development Under the Conditions of Weightlessness

Hypodynamy is a method to simulate weightlessness in the earth laboratory conditions. The objective of this study was to study the effects of hypodynamy on the growth of the body and of the right leg of female Japanese quail chicks reared under these conditions from day 2 after hatching to 56 days of age. Therefore, body weight, food consumption, food conversion and length of femur, tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus of the quail chicks were recorded at weekly intervals.The effect of hypodynamy on these indices was significant (p < 0.001). The mean body weight of the test group after the 56-day hypodynamy was about 34% less than that of the age-matched control. The food consumption in both groups increased with age but in the hypodynamy quails it was 17% lower compared to control. Similarly, the food conversion of test birds was affected until day 42 of age except for day 14. The size of the femur in the hypodynamy group was reduced (by 0.7 mm) compared to the age-matched control at 56 days. The tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus of hypodynamy quails were shorter by 4.41 mm and 3.35 mm, respectively, at the end of experiment.Our results show that Japanese quail female chicks are capable to grow and develop under conditions of prolonged simulated weightlessness. Based on these results a similar experiment under conditions of real weightlessness in space may be considered.

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth of Japanese Quail Chicks in Simulated Weightlessness

Škrobánek¹,

Hrbatá²,

Baranovská³

et al. 2004

“…Themortalityresultsforyoung chick embryos of our STS-29 flight support those for the Japanese quail (Cotumix cotumix japonica) flown on Incubator I of Cosmos 1129 in 1979 (S abo 1980) and Incubator 2A in 1990 (Meleshko et al 1991;Guryeva et al 1993). In the flrst flight experiment 39 fertile eggs were incubated for the 11.5-d mission, beginning embryo age 1 d. Of these, 22/39 stopped developing during days 1-4, 4/39 during days 5-9, and 13 during days 9-11.5.…”

mentioning

confidence: 55%

Isolation of Heart and Cardiogenic Primordium from Early Japanese Quail Embryos for RNA and Gene Expression Study

Andrisani¹,

Irizarry²,

Wolfe³

et al. 1996

We have successfully and reproducibly isolated total RNA from small amounts of Japanese quail cardiac tissue (sample size of 5-25 embryonic hearts), employing the Triozol method for RNA preparation. We have isolated RNA from the embryonic heart of approximately 150 quail embryos, at different stages of myocardiogenesis, including 8-14 somite stages, 15-19 somite stages, and 20--34 somite stages. We have also isolated the cardiogenic primordium from 2-8 somite stages.In addition, we isolated myocardial RNA from approximately 400 Japanese quail embryos of the hypodynamy-selected Ivanka 01 strain of Japanese quail (Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Slovak Academy Sciences). Specifically, we obtained total RNA from embryonic hearts of approximately 100 Japanese quail embryos from each of these stages: 8-14 somites, [15][16][17][18][19] somites, and 20--34 somites.We have developed these isolation procedures in support of our investigations of avian heart development. The aim of this work is to examine the effect of gravity (hypergravity and I g) on the expression pattern of specific groups of genes, in the embryonic heart of developing chick and quail embryos. Based on these results we will formulate a cellular and molecular biologic model of how the developing cardiac myocyte senses and responds to gravity and changed load application during its development. RNA, myocardium, hemodynamic pressure, isolation methods

“…It was observed that after a short-term space flight adult quails displayed only reversible ultrastructural changes in the tissues of the skeletal muscle, testes and kidneys (Koãi‰ová et al 1993;Cigánková et al 1993), and the microstructure of the small intestine as well as spontaneous feeding of the birds were not seriously impaired (Koãi‰ová et al 1993;Ko‰Èál et al 1993). On the other hand, nonphysiological conditions of space flight during embryogenesis lead to a lower hatching rate, higher frequency of deviations in organ and brain development Guryeva et al 1993;Lychakov et al 1993), and to disturbances in the locomotor activity and in consequence in inability to feed properly after hatching in these quails (Boìa et al 1991;Ko‰Èál et al 1993).…”

Section: Microgravity Posthatch Quail Alkaline Phosphatase Food Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional Development of the Small Intestine of Japanese Quail Hatched on Mir Orbital Station

Lenhardt¹,

Cigánková²,

Zibrín³

et al. 2001

Self Cite

The effect of microgravity on functional development of the small intestine of Japanese quails incubated for 2-3 d and hatched on the orbital station MIR was examined. After 5 d of space flight duodenal and jejunal alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity of the experimental group was compared with the AP activity in quails of the same age hatched on the Earth (laboratory controls). Shortterm microgravity leading to decreased food intake resulted in significant increase of AP activity in both duodenal and jejunal enterocytes (P < 0.001) of the experimental quails. The results suggest that increased AP activity probably reflects the delayed functional development of the small intestine as a consequence of inapropriate food intake during non-physiological conditions of space flight. Microgravity, posthatch quail, alkaline phosphatase, food intake, fasting