Summary
Spontaneous cutaneous wounds occur in avian embryos (chick, duck, quail) in various prominent parts of the body, notably the elbow, the knee and the outer face of feather buds. The frequency and size and the light and electron microscopic morphology of elbow wounds in the chick embryo are described. The cutaneous lesion appears in over 80% of the embryos at around 7 days of incubation, persists through 14 days, and finally heals completely at around 16 days of incubation. No trace of the wound is visible after that age. Wound healing of these spontaneous lesions was analysed with light microscopy (using indirect immunofluorescence for the localization of type I collagen, fibronectin and laminin) and electron microscopy. The main feature of the very slow healing process, as compared with the rapid cicatrization of experimental excision wounds, appears to be a continuous damage of the healing epidermis, until, finally, definitive wound closure occurs between 14 and 16 days of incubation. In the damaged region, where the epidermis is absent, the dermis exhibits an increased density of type I collagen fibres and of fibronectin. The upper face of the bare dermis is deprived of laminin. Spontaneous lesions do not occur in isolated wings explanted on the chick chorioallantoic membrane, where the wings do not become mobile and are not in contact with the amnion. The observations and explantation experiments suggest that the skin damage is caused by friction and abrasion of the bending elbow against the amnion or the amniotic fluid.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson TF (1951) Techniques for the preservation of three-dimensional structure in preparing specimens for the electron microscope. Trans NY Acad Sci 3:130–134
Browne D (1967) A mechanistic interpretation of certain malformations. Adv in Teratology 2:11–36
Demarchez M, Mauger A, Sengel P (1981) The dermal-epidermal junction during the development of the skin and cutaneous appendages in the chick embryo. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp 70:205–218
Garcia-Porrero JA, Colve E, Ojeda JL (1984) Cell death in the dorsal part of the chick optic cup. Evidence for a new necrotic area. J Embryol Exp Morphol 80:241–249
Glücksmann A (1951) Cell deaths in normal vertebrate ontogeny. Biol Rev 26:59–86
Greene RM, Pratt RM (1976) Developmental aspects of secondary palate formation. J Embryol Exp Morphol 36:225–245
Hamburger V, Hamilton HL (1951) A series of normal stages in the development of the chick embryo. J Morphol 88:49–92
Hinchliffe JR (1981) Cell death in embryogenesis. In: Bowen ID, Lockshin RA (eds) Cell death in biology and pathology. Chapman and Hall, London, pp 35–78
Hinchliffe JR (1982) Cell death in vertebrate limb morphogenesis. In: Harrison RJ, Navaratnam (eds) Progress in anatomy, vol II Cambridge University Press, pp 1–17
Hinchliffe JR, Ede DA (1973) Cell death and the development of limb form and skeletal pattern in normal and wingless (ws) chick embryos. J Embryol Exp Morphol 30:753–772
Hurlé JM, Ojeda JL (1979) Cell death during the development of the truncus and conus of the chick embryo heart. J Anat 129:427–439
Irons GB, Olson RM (1980) Aplasia cutis congenita. Plast Reconstr Surg 66:199–203
Kaltenbach JP, Kaltenbach MH, Lyons WB (1958) Nigrosin as a dye for differentiating live and dead ascites cells. Exp Cell Res 15:112–117
Kieny M, Sengel P (1974) La nécrose morphogène interdigitale chez l'embryon de poulet: effet de la cytochalasine B. Ann Biol 13:57–68
Koecke HU (1958) Normalstadien der Embryonalentwicklung bei der Hausente (Anas boschas domestica). Embryologica 4:55–78
Lucas AM, Stettenheim PR (1972) Avian anatomy integument, part II. Agriculture Handbook 362 Agric Res Serv US dep Agric, p 432–434
Luft JH (1961) Improving in epoxy resin embedding methods. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 9:409–414
Mauger A, Demarchez M, Herbage D, Grimaud JA, Druguet M, Hartmann DJ, Foidart JM, Sengel P (1983) Immunofluorescent localization of collagen types I, III, IV, fibronectin and laminin during morphogenesis of scale and scaleless skin in the chick embryo. Wilhelm Roux's Arch 192:205–215
Mauger A, Demarchez M, Sengel P (1984) Role of extracellular matrix and dermal-epidermal junction architecture in skin development. Prog Clin Biol Res 151:115–128
McLoughlin CB (1961) The importance of mesenchymal factors in the differentiation of chick epidermis. I.The differentiation in culture of the isolated epidermis of the embryonic chick and its response to excess vitamin A. J Embryol Exp Morphol 9:370–384
Mottet NK, Jensen HM (1968) The differentiation of chick embryonic skin. An electron microscopic study with a description of a peculiar epidermal cytoplasmic ultrastructure. Exp Cell Res 52:261–268
Padgett CS, Ivey WD (1960) The normal embryology of the Coturnix quail. Anat Rec 137:1–7
Parakkal F, Matolsty A (1968) An electron microscopy study of developing chick skin. J Ultrastruct Res 23:403–416
Parakkal PF, Alexander NJ (1972) Keratinization. A survey of Vertebrate epithelia. Academic Press, London, pp 26–33
Pautou MP (1974) Evolution comparée de la nécrose morphogène interdigitale dans le pied de l'embryon de poulet et de canard. CR Acad Sc (Paris) 278:2209–2212
Pautou MP (1975) Morphogenèse de l'autopode chez l'embryon de Poulet. J Embryol Exp Morph 34:511–529
Pautou MP (1978) Contribution à l'étude de la morphogenèse du pied de l'Oiseau. Thèse de Doctorat d'Etat de sciences naturelles, Université scientifique et Médicale de Grenoble, Décembre 1978
Pautou MP, Kieny M (1971) Sur les mécanismes histologiques et cytologiques de la nécrose morphogène interdigitale, chez l'embryon de Poulet. CR Acad Sc (Paris) 272:2025–2028
Portnoy Y, Metzker A (1981) Extraordinary aplasia cutis congenita or a new entity. Helv Paediat Acta 36:281–285
Prigent E (1983) Aplasies cutanées congénitales. Ann Dermatol Venereol 110:933–939
Reynolds ES (1963) The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electronopaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 17:208–212
Richardson KC, Jarett L, Finke EH (1960) Embedding in epoxy resins for ultrathin sectioning in electron microscopy. Stain Technol 35:313–323
Romanoff A (1960) The avian embryo. Structural and functional development. Macmillan, New York, pp 1040–1151
Saunders JW, Fallon JF (1967) Cell death in morphogenesis. In: Lockc M (ed) Major problems in developmental biology. Academic Press, New York, pp 289–314
Saunders JW, Gasseling MT, Saunders LC (1962) Cellular death in morphogenesis of the avian wing. Dev Biol 5:147–178
Sawyer RH, Abbott UK, Fry GN (1974) Avian scale development. III. Ultrastructure of the keratinizing cells of the outer and inner epidermal surfaces of the scale ridge. J Exp Zool 190:57–70
Sengel P, Rusaoüen M (1969) Modifications ultrastructurales de l'histogenèse de la peau chez l'embryon de Poulet. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp 58:77–96
Tassin MT, Weill R (1980) Scanning electron microscope study of the medio palatal epithelium: simultaneous modifications characterizing fusion and degenerescence processes. Wilhelm Roux's Arch 188:13–21
Thévenet A (1981) Wound healing of the integument in the 5-day chick embryo. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp 70:227–224
Thévenet A (1983) Cicatrisation de la peau d'embryon de Poulet de 7 jours cultivée in vitro. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp 72:23–46
Thévenet A, Sengel P (1971) Mort cellulaire superficielle chez l'embryon de Poulet. CR Acad Sci (Paris) D 273:2623–2626
Thévenet A, Sengel P (1972) Cicatrisation de l'ectoderme chez l'embryon de Poulet de 4 et 5 jours d'incubation. CR Acad Sci (Paris) D 275:787–790
Thévenet A, Sengel P (1973) Modalités de la cicatrisation du flanc d'embryons de Poulet de 5 jours. CR Acad Sci (Paris) D 276:3379–3382
Wyllie AH, Kerr JFR, Currie AR (1980) Cell death: the significance of apoptosis. Int Rev Cytol 68:251–306
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thévenet, A., Sengel, P. Naturally occurring wounds and wound healing in chick embryo wings. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 195, 345–354 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402868
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402868