DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

CHEM 306 LAB REPORT

NAME; Martin Motshegwe

STUDENT NO. 202000350

GROUP DAY: Thursday (1500- 1800HOURS)

EMAIL; 202000350@UB.AC.BW

DATE; 20 April 2023

PRACTICAL 6: CHICKEN EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT

THE EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT OF Gallus gallus domesticus (CHICKEN)
SPECIES

INTRODUCTION

According to Del Hoyo et al., 2014 The domesticated bird Gallus gallus domesticus, also
referred to as the chicken, is a member of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae
classified as ground-dwelling birds that are small and farmed largely for their meat and eggs.
They go through early embryonic developmental stages that dictate how different organs and
tissues of the embryo develop, as well as where crucial components like the head and wings
are located. "Embryonic development" refers to the process through which a fertilized egg
undergoes numerous cell divisions and differentiations before maturing into a fully formed
embryo. The development of a chicken embryo from fertilization to hatching is a f complex
process that takes approximately 21 days and involves a series of intricate biological events
that transform a single cell into a fully formed chick. Key structures like the central nervous
system, cardiovascular system, and limbs are developed during this period, as well as germ
layers that differentiate into distinct organs and tissues (Gilbert, 2014). And throughout the
process, the yolk and albumen inside the egg nurture the embryo by giving it nutrients and
shielding it from numerous environmental elements like temperature and humidity levels,
which can affect its development. As humans and chickens have the same genetic make-up,
learning about the different stages of chicken embryonic development helps us understand
human development better. This is because human embryonic development and diseases can
be better understood by understanding the major developmental milestones and the formation
of important structures and organs in humans.

Research on chicken embryonic development has enhanced our understanding of human

development, as evidenced by the discovery of the role of the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH)
signaling pathway in limb development (Tickle, 2015). In a review published in the journal
"Genesis," researchers who studied the development of chicken embryos discovered that the
Sonic Hedgehog signaling system is necessary for the creation of the limb bud, a structure
that eventually gives rise to the arms and legs. The Sonic Hedgehog signaling system
pathway is maintained across species and is essential for limb development, according to
many studies in animals, including mice and humans. This finding has significant health
consequences for people because anomalies in the Sonic Hedgehog signaling system pathway
can cause limb malformations including polydactyl (additional fingers and toes) or
syndactyly (fused fingers or toes). Scientists have been able to create treatments for these
diseases in humans by comprehending the molecular processes underlying limb development
in chickens,

The aim of this experiment was to describe, observe, and take note of the embryonic
development of Gallus gallus domesticus, with an emphasis on the significant developmental
stages and the production of critical structures and organs. The objective of this experiment
was to carefully dissect eggs going through various phases of embryonic development in
order to retrieve the embryo and place it in a petri dish. Another goal was to closely examine
the excised embryo and examine using magnifying glass to record any physical variations
between the several embryo specimens. The alternative hypothesis stated that differentiation
of organs and tissues would be noticed after dissection, contrary to the null hypothesis'
prediction that no differentiation would be seen in the embryo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The lab was separated into different groups of 8 and eggs of different grades (16A,16C,17A
And 17C) with different development stages (16-17 days, 13-14 days, 9-10 days and 6-7 days
respectively) were obtained with each group having one egg. After putting on gloves, the egg
was dissected using a scalpel blade and forceps were used to carefully remove the shells and
egg yolk. The embryo was extracted carefully and placed in a petri dish using forceps and the
specimen was viewed using a magnifying len to note any embryonic physical features. The
different physical features were noted down in a table for all the different grade embryo
specimens provided. This experiment was carried out in University of Botswana Laboratory.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

After the dissection of the differently incubated eggs, records of different observations were
noted down in tabular form.

TABLE 1: Showing the different physical features observed from the different Grade eggs

Grade Development days Physical features

17C 6-7 Days Embryo visible
Embryo covered in blood vessels and fluids
Soft non- hardened skull
Eyes formed
Vertebral column formed
No visible limb appendages formed
Around 1.5-2cm in length
17A 9-10 Days Embryo visible
Blood vessels covering yolk
Egg tooth visible and appearance of beak
Visible eyes formed
Primitive scales formed
Formation of undefined limb appendages
Around 2.5 -3 cm in length
16C 13-14 Days Embryo clearly visible
Hardened beak formed
Both eyes formed
Vertebral column formed
Yolk covered in clear blood vessels
Formation of clear defined Limb Appendages
Claws and primitive scales formed
Around 5cm in length
16A 16-17 Days Embryo Clearly visible
Scales, claws and beak firm and developed
Vertebral column formed
Clear defined limb appendages formed
Eyelids formed as well as eyes
 Around 7-7.5 cm in length
TREND: an increase in size is shown for each Grade starting with 17 C and more
features are observed with the increase in development days

DISCUSSION

The phases of embryonic development for the Gallus gallus domesticus (chicken) species are
shown in Table 1, along with the physical characteristics that are present at each stage and the
number of development days. The development of the chicken embryo is a complicated
process that involves the interplay of numerous different genes and communication pathways,
according to a study by Bloss et al. (2016). Different genes and proteins are expressed at
particular times and places during this closely regulated process, ensuring that the right
structures and organs develop in the right order. As a result, the embryo's physical
characteristics are malleable and soft at this early stage to facilitate the rapid cell division and
expansion required for the embryo's healthy development. And in reference to this, from table
1, The embryo is visible and coated in fluid and blood vessels at 6-7 days of development
(17C). The eyes have developed, while the skull is still soft and unhardened. Despite the
absence of discernible limb appendages, the spinal column is also established. The embryo is
about 1.5 to 2 cm long at this point. The embryo is increasingly apparent at 9–10 days of
development (17A), and the yolk is covered in blood vessels. The eyes have developed, and
the egg teeth that breaks the eggshell during hatching is apparent. There is also the
appearance of a beak and primitive scales visible, and the embryo has formed undefined limb
appendages and at this stage, the embryo is around 2.5-3 cm in length.

The embryo is readily visible by 13–14 days of development (16C), and a tough beak has
developed. The spinal column is there, and both eyes are created. Clear blood veins can be
seen all over the yolk, and distinct limb appendages have developed. The embryo is around 5
cm long at this point and has visible claws and early scales. The embryo is readily visible
around 16–17 days of development (16A), and the scales, claws, and beak are solid and fully
formed. The vertebral column has developed, and the limb appendages are distinct and well-
defined. Besides the eyes, eyelids have also developed. The embryo is currently about 7 to
7.5 cm long. The embryonic physical features observed between the 16A and 16C grade
embryos shows clear differentiation of tissues and cells resulting in defined limb appendages
and organs (Bloss et al, 2016). The different embryonic developments reflect the intricate and
tightly regulated process of embryonic development, in which different genes and proteins
are expressed at specific times and locations to ensure that the correct structures and organs
develop in the correct order.

There were some limitations that came about during this experiment. The sharp scalpel blade
if not used well could have mutilated some embryo resulting in missing physical features.
The use of the lens aids in avoiding this by being able to see beyond the naked eye when
carefully removing the yolk and visibly showing the embryo. Another limitation was the
amniotic fluid that covered the embryo making some embryonic physical features non-
visible. Carefully dabbing the embryo with tissue could have aided in avoiding this
limitation.

CONCLUSION

Different embryonic physical features recorded down showed the differentiation and division
of tissues and cells that occurred at the different grade eggs. This contributed to our
understanding of the embryonic development of the Gallus gallus domesticus (chicken)
species
REFERENCES

1. Bloss, C. S., Schueler, K. L., & Rottinghaus, G. E. (2016). The chicken embryo as a
model for developmental genomics. Poultry Science, 95(3), 459-468.
https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pew269
2. Del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A., & de Juana, E. (2014).
Handbook of the birds of the world alive. Lynx Edicions.
3. Gilbert, S. F. (2014). Developmental biology (10th ed.). Sinauer Associates, Inc.
4. Tickle, C. (2015). How the embryo makes a limb: determination, polarity and
identity. Journal of Anatomy, 227(4), 418-430. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12349