THE EFFECT OF INJECTED THIOUREA ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME ORGANS OF THE CHICK EMBRYO1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Thiourea, in amounts varying from 2 to 10 mg, was injected into the albumen of chicken (Gallus gallus d.) eggs at different stages of incubation. The embryos were sacrificed or were permitted to develop until they hatched or died; the hatched chicks were raised to 6 weeks of age. Observations showed that the administration of thiourea resulted in prolongation of embryonic development by 3-10 days beyond the normal period of 21 days and increased prenatal mortality up to 100%, as compared with 25% mortality among the controls. Effects were, in general, proportional to the amount of drug given. In all cases the thyroid was markedly hypertrophied, the weight of the organ increasing by as much as 300% during the embryonic period but dropping to 72% above normal during the postembryonic period. There was some increase in the weight of the adrenals and testes, a considerable decrease in the weight of the liver, and an irregular decrease in ovarian weight. The percentage of water was elevated in all the observed organs of the experimental embryos.