Oxygen consumption by chick embryos exposed to mechanical (shaking) stress

Stage 34 (8-day) and 41 (15-day) chick embryos (Gallus gallus; in ovo) were exposed (3 min) to two separate amounts of mechanical (shaking) stress. Oxygen consumption determinations, following a temperature equilibration period (60 min), were made on entire, intact eggs using a Warburg apparatus equipped with 130-ml flasks modified to hold the egg. Shaking at 300 excursions per minute (epm) resulted in depressed O2 consumption by stages 34 and 41. Only stage 34 embryos had markedly depressed O2 consumption values when shaken at 100 epm. When exposed to 300 epm and reincubated for either 1, 2, or 4 hr prior to O2 consumption determinations stage 34 embryos, following an early return to control levels exhibited a marked fall in O2 consumption by 4 h reincubation. The stage 41 embryos, on the other hand, demonstrated a gradual rise to control O2 consumption levels by 4 h reincubation. Oxygen consumption has now been shown for the first time in an embryonic system (at two distinct developmental stages) to be functionally impaired by mechanically induced stress.