Experimental diabetes model in chick embryos treated with streptozotocin

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether diabetes model can be made by treatment of streptozotocin (STZ) in chick embryos and this model can be used to predict the effect of drug. When STZ (0.3 mg/egg) was injected into the albumen of fertile eggs on the 14th day of incubation, level of blood glucose significantly increased than that of the control on the 17th day of incubation, and level of serum insulin significantly decreased. In addition, the enhanced level of blood glucose in STZ-treated embryos reduced by injection of human insulin. In conclusion, STZ-treated embryos may be applicable to evaluate human insulin and anti-diabetes drugs as an experimental diabetes model.