Cardiovascular anomalies in chick embryos produced by bis-diamine in dimethylsulfoxide.

N,N'-bis(dichloroacetyl)-1,8-octamethylenediamine(bis-diamin e) (100 micrograms) dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was administered to early developing chick embryos (Hamburger-Hamilton stage 9-21) in order to clarify the teratogenic effects on the cardiovascular system and to determine whether bis-diamine interferes with the migration of neural crest cells. Of 346 cases, 154 (44.5%) survived. The incidence of cardiovascular anomalies was 149 out of 154 cases (96.8%). Infundibular ventricular septal defect, double outlet right ventricle, and persistent truncus arteriosus were the primary cardiac anomalies observed in this study. A high percentage of these anomalies were accompanied by hypoplasia of the right 6th aortic arch artery and persistent left 4th aortic arch artery. Particularly, administration of bis-diamine to chick embryos at stage 13 resulted in a high incidence of persistent truncus arteriosus (64.3%). Bis-diamine has been suspected to inhibiting the migration of neural crest cells. However, neural crest cells were observed in the tunica media of the great arteries and the truncal valves of persistent truncus arteriosus produced by bis-diamine in chimeric embryos at stage 13. Morphological changes such as cell death were not observed.     

Spur development in chick embryos

Normal development of spurs and horny squamae have been studied in histological preparations obtained from the skin of tarsometatarsus in 8--16-day-old embryos. During the first, initial stage of development, by means of rearrangement of cellular matter and cell migration, three main parts of the spur are layed down -- the horny cover, the spur body and the fibrovascular cushion. For the second stage, vigorous growth of the spur germ at the expense of proliferative activity of its cells is characteristic. At the third stage (after hatching) in males, the spur body outgrows and the bony core is formed. Morphogenesis of the horny squama can be devided into two stages. At the initial stages by means of condensing cellular elements, squamous papilla and horny shell are layed down. The fibrovascular cushion is absent. The second stage is similar to the spur one and is characterized by growth of all the germ parts at the expense of cell proliferation. Comparing morphogeneses of the squama and the spur, it is possible to conclude that phylogenetic transformation of the squama into the spur is performed by two means (modi) of phyloembryogenesis: by means of adding new signs of development to the initial terminal stages of its morphogenesis.     

The effect of isoproterenol on cardiovascular function in the stage 24 chick embryo

The developing cardiovascular system of the chick embryo is susceptible to teratogenic effects of catecholamines. Yet the mechanism for the teratogenetic action is unclear. Since catecholamines affect cardiovascular physiology, we studied the acute effect of the beta-agonist isoproterenol on mean atrial pressure, heart rate, mean dorsal aortic blood flow, mean arterial pressure and vascular resistance in stage 24 chick embryos. Dorsal aortic blood velocity was measured with a 20-MHz pulsed-Doppler velocity meter and intravascular pressure was measured with a servo-null pressure system. Isoproterenol in doses of 2 X 10(-4) micrograms (2.5 micrograms/kg), 8 X 10(-4) micrograms (10 micrograms/kg), and 1.2 X 10(-3) micrograms (15 micrograms/kg) was injected intravenously in 5-microliters aliquots of chick Ringer's solution. Additional groups of embryos were treated with the beta-antagonist propranolol, and isoproterenol plus propranolol. Control embryos received 5 microliters chick Ringer's solution to assess the hemodynamic effects of a volume injection. We found that isoproterenol caused no change in mean atrial pressure, heart rate, or mean arterial pressure. However, isoproterenol caused a dose-related decrease in dorsal aortic blood flow and a 2.5-fold increase in vascular resistance. The effects of isoproterenol were blocked by propranolol, which suggested that the increase in vascular resistance was mediated by beta-receptor stimulation.     

Cultivation of trematodes in chick embryos

The chick embryo can be used as a substitute for adult animals in the cultivation of a variety of parasites. Bernard Fried describes its use in cultivating trematodes, and suggests that the system might be useful as a preliminary chemotherapeutic screen.     

阿奇霉素对阿霉素与白蛋白致小鼠肾损害的保护作用*

目的:研究阿奇霉素对阿霉素与白蛋白致小鼠肾损害的肾脏保护作用。方法:取BALB/c雄性小鼠40只,按照随机数表法平均分为空白对照组(Ctrl组)、肾损害模型组(ADR+BSA组)、阿奇霉素治疗组(Azm组)及醋酸泼尼松阳性对照组(Pdn组);ADR+BSA、AZM及Pdn三组每周5 d尾静脉注射9.8 mg·kg^-1阿霉素,腹腔注射10 mg·kg^-1血清白蛋白,对照组注射生理盐水,持续4周造模;之后,AZM组每天给予62.5 mg·kg^-1阿奇霉素灌胃,Pdn组每天给予12.5 mg·kg^-1醋酸泼尼松灌胃,其余两组给予等量生理盐水,持续6周后,收集并记录24 h尿量,检测尿蛋白量、内生肌酐清除率,取血检测血清生化指标和免疫因子。结果:与Ctrl组相比,ADR+BSA组小鼠24 h尿蛋白定量显著升高(P＜0.05),Ccr显著降低(P＜0.05);经过阿奇霉素治疗后的小鼠,24 h蛋白定量相比于ADR+BSA组显著降低(P＜0.05),Ccr显著升高(P＜0.05)。结论:阿奇霉素对阿霉素与白蛋白致小鼠的肾损害有一定的保护作用。     

Teratogenic effects of phenytoin on chick embryos

The antiepileptic drug phenytoin was injected into the yolk sac of White Leghorn chick embryos. A dose-response study was followed by a detailed teratological study using a single dose of 3 mg. The surviving embryos were sacrificed on the 19th day of incubation. The embryos showed a generalized decrease in body weight together with a wide range of malformations. The malformations could be roughly divided into limb, craniofacial, abdominal, and ocular defects, as well as deficiencies in growth. Skeletal defects included hypoplasia of digital phalanges and nails and shortened wings.     

Development of the differential effect of oxazepam on spontaneous and activated motility in chick embryos

Development of the acute depressant effect of oxazepam (in a dose of 10 mg/kg egg weight) on spontaneous and activated motor activity was studied in chick embryos (incubation age 11-19 days). The depressant effect of oxazepam was demonstrated for the first time in 13-day-old embryos. From the 15th day of incubation it led to prolonged depression of embryonic motility. From the 15th day the depressant effect of oxazepam depended on the connections of the central motor output with the prosencephalon. In mesencephalic, rhombencephalic and spinal preparations the effect of oxazepam was insignificant. In 13- and 15-day-old embryos oxazepam blocked the activating effect of strychnine and pentylenetetrazol, but not the picrotoxin-induced activation. The picrotoxin activation of embryonic motility was incompletely blocked for the first time in 17-day-old and completely only in 19-day-old embryos. The results are discussed with reference to heterochronia of development of the various components in the complex GABA receptor.