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Updated: Oct 5, 2026
Generation of Hook Ischemia-Reperfusion Model using a Three-Day Developing Chick Embryo
Published on: February 19, 2022
Extent of intestinal damage in the developing chick embryo after repetitive hypoxia under normoxic or hyperoxic
J Van Golde1, D Tibboel, T Okazaki
1Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Maastricht, The Netherlands. j.vangolde@farmaco.unimaas.nl
Insights
Repetitive hypoxia and recovery in chick embryos caused intestinal damage only in those older than 19 days. Hyperoxic recovery did not worsen intestinal damage compared to normoxic recovery.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Perinatal medicine
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Hypoxia and reperfusion are critical factors in perinatal intestinal damage.
- Investigating the impact of repetitive hypoxia on developing intestinal tissue is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the histopathology of the developing chick embryo intestine.
- To compare intestinal damage after repetitive hypoxia and recovery under normoxic versus hyperoxic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Chick embryos (day 11-20) underwent six cycles of 5-minute hypoxia with 15-minute recovery.
- Recovery occurred under normoxic (21% O2) or hyperoxic (100% O2) conditions.
- Ileal histology was assessed at 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 hours post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Intestinal damage was observed only in chick embryos older than 19 days.
- Histology on day 19 revealed villus capillary vasodilation, villus tip necrosis, and crypt-base preservation or transmucosal necrosis.
- Specific percentages of these pathologies were recorded for each group.
Conclusions:
- Significant histological changes were noted 2 hours post-intervention compared to controls.
- Recovery under hyperoxic conditions did not exacerbate intestinal damage compared to normoxic recovery.
Background:
Episodes of hypoxia and reperfusion play an important role in the development of intestinal damage during perinatal development. The aim of this study was to investigate the histopathology of the intestine in the developing chick embryo after exposure to repetitive hypoxia and recovery under two different conditions: normoxic and hyperoxic (60% O2).
Methods:
Chick embryos were exposed to 5 minutes of hypoxia. This was repeated six times with a recovery period of 15 minutes under normoxic conditions (21% O2) for chick embryos in test group 1 (TG1) and under hyperoxic conditions (100% O2) for chick embryos in test group 2 (TG2), from day 11 until day 20. Chick embryos that recovered under hyperoxic conditions (100% O2) were previously incubated under hyperoxic conditions (60% O2 for 24 hours). Histologic evaluation of the ileum was performed at different times after the interventions (2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 hours).
Results:
In both test groups, only chick embryos older than 19 days showed intestinal damage. Intestinal histology on day 19 showed vasodilation of villus capillaries (10% in TG1 and 15% in TG2), necrosis in the top of the villi (29% in TG1 and 30% in TG2), and necrosis with preservation of base of the crypts (2% in TG1) and transmucosal necrosis (2% in TG2).
Conclusions:
Significant histologic changes, compared with the control group, were only found in chick embryos that were studied 2 hours after the interventions. Furthermore, recovery under hyperoxic conditions did not cause more intestinal damage compared with recovery under normoxic conditions.
