title: Effects of early partial decapitation on the ontogenic development of chicken lymphoid organs. I. Thymus.
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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal y Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Herradón
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Razquin
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Zapata
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004950:Esterases / Q000378:metabolism; D006257:Head / Q000601:surgery*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009708:Nucleotidases / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013947:Thymosin / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D013947:Thymosin; D004950:Esterases; D009708:Nucleotidases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases