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Updated: May 2, 2026
Optimized Ex-ovo Culturing of Chick Embryos to Advanced Stages of Development
Published on: January 24, 2015
Immobilized chicks as a model system for early-onset developmental dysplasia of the hip
Niamh C Nowlan1, Vikesh Chandaria, James Sharpe
1EMBL-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation, UPF, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Insights
Prenatal movement is crucial for hip joint development. Lack of movement after joint cavitation significantly alters hip shape, offering insights into developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Orthopedics
- Embryology
Background:
- Joint morphogenesis, the development of joint shapes, is poorly understood.
- Abnormal joint development can lead to postnatal skeletal malformations like developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).
- Prenatal movement's role in joint shape development is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the role of spontaneous prenatal movements in hip joint morphogenesis.
- Evaluate the chick embryo as a model for early-onset hip dysplasia.
Main Methods:
- Pharmacological immobilization of developing chick embryos.
- Assessing hip joint shape changes at different developmental stages.
- Comparing immobilized embryos to controls.
Main Results:
- Immobilization before joint cavitation had minimal effect on hip shape.
- Immobilization after joint cavitation caused significant hip malformations.
- Observed effects included femur flattening, abnormal pelvic orientation, and acetabular malplacement.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic prenatal movement is essential for normal hip joint morphogenesis after cavitation.
- The immobilized chick embryo is a suitable model for studying early-onset hip dysplasia.
- Findings support the link between restricted prenatal movement and hip dysplasia, particularly in neuromuscular conditions.
Abstract:
We have almost no understanding of how our joints take on their range of distinctive shapes, despite the clinical relevance of joint morphogenesis to postnatal skeletal malformations such as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). In this study, we investigate the role of spontaneous prenatal movements in joint morphogenesis using pharmacological immobilization of developing chicks, and assess the system as a suitable model for early-onset hip dysplasia. We show that, prior to joint cavitation, the lack of dynamic muscle contractions has little impact on the shape of the hip joint. However, after the timepoint at which cavitation occurs, a dramatic effect on hip joint morphogenesis was observed. Effects in the immobilized chicks included flattening of the proximal femur, abnormal orientation of the pelvis relative to the femur and abnormal placement and coverage of the acetabulum. Although many clinical case studies have identified reduced or restricted movement as a risk factor for DDH, this study provides the first experimental evidence of the role of prenatal movements in early hip joint development. We propose that the immobilized chick embryo serves as a suitable model system for the type of early-onset DDH which arises due to neuromuscular conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy.
