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Updated: May 20, 2026
The Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane In Vivo Model to Assess Perineural Invasion in Head and Neck Cancer
Published on: June 21, 2019
The chick chorioallantoic membrane imaging method as a platform to evaluate vasoactivity and assess irritancy of
Stephanie L M Tay1, Paul W S Heng, Lai Wah Chan
1Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Objective:
To determine if the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a potential alternative that is capable of screening test substances for vasoactivity in terms of vessel diameter changes. The CAM was also evaluated as a tool for irritancy screening.
Methods:
Visual assessment of the CAM for irritancy after the application of the test substance or solvent to its surface was made. An imaging based-in-vivo CAM model was developed by imaging CAM blood vessels in a pre-defined area using a semi-automatic image processing and analysis technique to measure blood vessel diameters. Solvents and drugs such as 70% v/v ethanol, normal saline, 5% w/v glucose monohydrate, glycerin, glucagon, N-methylpyrrolidone, nicotine, glyceryl trinitrate, glucagon, propranolol and caffeine were tested on the CAM.
Key Findings:
Propranolol, nicotine and glycerin were irritants on CAM. Changes in the diameters of fine blood vessels were accurately measured by high resolution image analysis. Vasoconstriction was seen with 70% v/v ethanol while vasodilation was displayed with glucagon and caffeine. The results reflected expected trends with evidence of feedback mechanisms ensuring homeostasis.
Conclusion:
The CAM model can be applied to assess pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations in early development work to gain useful insights to potential irritancy and biological effects of components and formulations.
