Changes in Plasma Amino Acids in the Developing Chick

Abstract
We have sampled arterial blood from chicken embryos during development and measured the changes in plasma amino acids from mid-gestation to hatching. During gestation, several amino acids rise to a peak concentration at 16 days and fall prior to hatching. After hatching, most amino acids fall, although the plasma concentrations of aspartate, glutamate and taurine rise significantly.