THE 72-HOUR CHICK EMBRYO

Introduction

The 72 hours after fertilization, the rotation of the embryo to the left is arrived such
behind the region of the heart and only the caudal part of the embryo must twist 90 degrees.
The flexures in the in the head region are almost completed. The fourth pharyngeal groove
develops and the pharyngeal arches are thicker. Due to the cranial flexure, the pharyngeal
region (region of the trachea) is now located at the ventral side of the head. The fore and
hind limbs at the level of the 16th to the 20th respectively the 27th to the 32th somite pairs are
visible as small buds at an incubation time of about 3 days.
The development of the brain is shown at higher magnification. The further
development of the five brain vesicles (Telencephalon, diencephalon, metencephalon,
mesencephalon and myencephalon) in to the different head structures is clearly visible. The
eyes vesicles differentiate as two lateral projections of the diencephalon and come in contact
with the external layer (ectoderm) and the lens (ectoderm). The dorsal projection of the
diencephalon is also visible and will differentiate in to the epiphysis. The depression at the
ventral side of the diencephalon develops in to the hypophysis (hypo=under). The auditory
vesicles develop at the level of the myencephalon.

Objectives
At the end of the laboratory session, the student must have:

1. Determined the morphology of a 72- hour chick embryo.

2. Identified the distinguishing features of a 72- hour chick embryo.
3. Identified the changes occurs during the development of the embryo.

Procedure
A. STUDY THE WHOLE MOUNT
 The eggs to be used for viewing the whole mount should not be turned while
placed in the incubator.
 Get one of the eggs that has been incubated for 3 to 4 days and place it in an egg-
dissection holder. Make sure that the blunt end of the egg is still facing upward.
 Open the egg doing it as you examine a soft boiled egg with the use of forcep.
 Tap the blunt end of the egg five or six times, cracking a nickel shaped region of
shell into a number of pieces.
 Remove the broken bits of shell with a forceps and then carefully remove the
tough white inner shell membrane overlying the embryo.
B. TRANSVERSE SECTION
 Utilize the varying thickness of the brain and the proximity of the sense organ and the
cranial nerves to identify the exact location of any particular section.
 Observe the very small pair of oculomotor nerves.
 Spot the very large Gasserian ganglia of the trigeminal nerves
 Locate the cranial ganglia and possibly posterior to the uneven thickness
 Locate the aortic paired and fused aortae, the corticoids and the anterior cardinals.
 Distinguish the Sessel’s pocket from the ectodermal Rathke’s pocket.
 Locate the level of the posterior intestinal portal where the hindgut is separated from
the floorless mid-gut
 Locate the last vestiges of the hindgut
 Identify the covering membranes at all levels.

GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. What are the features that distinguish a 72 hour chick embryo from embryos of other
earlier stages of development?

The flexure of the embryo is now pronounced and the embryo is lying on
its left side. The brain has further subdivided and the olfactory pit (nose) is
present over the tip of the forebrain. The lens of the eye is visible.
Lateral swellings representing the limb buds and a curved tail are also present.

2. Give examples of changes that occurred during the development of a 72 hour chick
embryo.

72 Hours after fertilization, the rotation of the embryo to the left is arrived such behind
the region of the heart and only the caudal part of the embryo must twist 90 degrees.
The two flexures in the head region are almost completed. The fourth pharyngeal groove
develops and the pharyngeal arches are thicker. Due to the cranial flexure, the
pharyngeal region (= region of the trachea) is now located at the ventral side of the head.
The fore and hind limbs at the level of the 16 th to the 20th respectively the 27th to the
32th somite pairs are visible as small buds at an incubation time of about 3 days

3. Locate the level of the posterior intestinal portal where the hind gut is being separated
from the floorless mid-gut.

Mid-gut. From the anterior intestinal portal, the gut continues backward as the floorless
mid-gut until it reaches the posterior intestinal portal which marks the beginning of the tail
fold.

4. Study closely below the 72-hour chick embryo. Take note that the whole mount looked
like an inverted question mark. Describe the position of the heart and the level of the
eyes.

In the 72-hour chick embryo, the atrium has begun to expand to the left in preparation for the
division into the right and left atria. Also, at this point in development, the eye consists of an
eye cup and lens, and is located near the brain.
At 72-hr the chick embryo appear as a reverse question mark.
 5. Label the illustration shown below.

1
6

2
7

8
3

Write your answers:

1. Spinal cord
2. Wing bud
3. Leg bud
4. Tail bud
5. Eye
6. Brain
7. Heart
8. Allantois
References

DB Lab: Chick Observation. (n.d.). DB Lab. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from

https://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/sgilber1/DB_lab/Chick/Chick_Observe02.html

Embryology of chicken: 72 h and older. (n.d.). Radboud University Nijmegen. Retrieved December 4,

2021, from https://www.vcbio.science.ru.nl/en/virtuallessons/embryology-chicken-72h/

Label Chick Embryo (72 hours) Printout - EnchantedLearning.com. (n.d.). Enchanted Learning.

Retrieved December 4, 2021, from

https://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/label/chickembryo72hrs/#:%7E:text=brain

%20%2D%20the%20developing%20brain%20takes,(posterior%20to)%20the%20head