title: Extending the limits of avian embryo culture with the modified Cornish pasty and whole-embryo transplantation methods.
abstract: The New and Early Chick (EC) methods, two commonly used techniques for ex ovo culture of early-stage avian embryos, are limited by poor survivability after initiation of circulation. This limitation is circumvented with two recent technical advancements: the modified Cornish pasty culture and whole-embryo transplantation. The former supports optimal ex ovo growth till stage HH18, and the latter allows ex-ovo-manipulated embryos to have long-term in ovo-survivability. Here we provide step-by-step instructions for both methods. These two new techniques can also be combined to achieve targeted labeling, imaging and electroporation in early-stage embryos ex ovo, and phenotypic and functional analyses at more advanced developmental stages in ovo.
authors.affiliation: Lab for Early Embryogenesis, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650 0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.affiliation: Lab for Early Embryogenesis, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650 0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Maiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sezaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Harukazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Lab for Early Embryogenesis, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650 0047, Japan. Electronic address: sheng@cdb.riken.jp.
authors.forename: Guojun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000196:embryology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
keywords: Chick; Ex ovo; In ovo; Modified-Cornish-pasty culture; Twinning; Whole-embryo transplantation