ANATOMICAL STUDY OF CORNEA IN DEVELOPING CHICK EMBRYOS: A LABORATORY-BASED EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66604/qpr4g795Keywords:
Chick Embryo, Cornea, Model, HistologyAbstract
Background: The resemblance of the developmental anatomy of the chicken to that of mammals makes it a suitable animal model for understanding the human biological systems. The histological structure of the chick embryo cornea was observed at four developmental stages, with a particular focus on its application to the study of eye development. Methods: This laboratory-based experimental study was conducted at the Anatomy Department, Regional Centre, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Islamabad, Pakistan. After obtaining ethical approval, a total of 70 fertilised eggs of Gallus domesticus were obtained from the Poultry Research Institute in Punjab, Rawalpindi. The eggs were incubated under standard laboratory conditions. The histological development of the chick cornea was studied at four distinct post-incubation stages: 10th day (n=30), 15th day (n=30) post-incubation, newly hatched chicks (n=5), and adult chickens (n=5). Results: at day 10 of incubation, the thickness of the cornea was 171 µm, and the stroma was 160 µm. At day 15 of development, this thickness was 145 µm, with a stroma thickness of 130 µm. The thickness of the cornea of a newly hatched chick was about 170- 200 µ, with a thickness of stroma 135 µ. In adults, the cornea is approximately 250-300 µm thick, with the stroma accounting for about 200 µm. Conclusion: This laboratory research presents the differentiation of the chick cornea at various developmental stages, which may contribute to the anatomical understanding of corneal embryology and provide a comparative background for pathological deviations.
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