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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Preparation and Applications of Organotypic Thymic Slice Cultures
Published on: August 6, 2016
Effects of early partial decapitation on the ontogenic development of chicken lymphoid organs. I. Thymus
P G Herradón1, B Razquin, A G Zapata
1Departamento de Patología Animal y Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain.
Abstract:
For the present study we used the classic model of early partial decapitation (DCx) of chicken embryos (Fugo, J. Exp. Zool., 85: 271-298, 1940; Betz, Gen. Comp. Endocrinol., 9: 172-186, 1967) in an attempt to analyze the neuroendocrine immune relationships during ontogeny. The elimination of the prosencephalon in chickens at 33-38 hr of incubation induced profound structural, histochemical, and morphometric changes in the embryonic development of the thymus gland. These included a greater development of the cortex than of the medulla, an increased mitotic index, high numbers of pyknotic cells, and enlarged connective tissue trabeculae containing numerous large lymphoid cells; hypertrophied reticular-epithelial cells; delayed appearance of medullary epithelial cysts; and intrathymic granulopoiesis. Furthermore, preliminary radioimmunoassays revealed a sharp increase in the values of circulating thymic hormones, mainly thymosin beta 4 in 17-day-old embryos. The results are discussed with regard to the possible role of prolactin, thyroxine, testosterone, and thymic hormones in the ontogenic development of the chicken thymus.
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