Comparison of ascorbic acid levels in the eye and remainder of the chicken embryo during development

Ascorbic acid was not detectable in egg white and egg yolk of fertilized eggs prior to incubation. It was demonstrated in the embryo at 5 days of incubation and its content in the eyes and other parts of the embryo increased with the embryo's age. Ascorbic acid of the eyes rose rapidly after day 6 during maximal eye growth and reached a peak by days 10-14 when the expansion of the eyes began to level off. Ascorbic acid content of the eyes decreased thereafter, while ascorbic acid in the head and the body tissues continued to rise up to the time of hatching. Whether this rapid increase of ascorbic acid concurrent with the increase of eye diameter indicates a role for ascorbic acid in the growth of the embryonic eye remains to be determined.