Beyond the Chicken: Alternative Avian Models for Developmental Physiological Research.

Biomedical research focusing on physiological, morphological, behavioral, and other aspects of development has long depended upon the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) as a key animal model that is presumed to be typical of birds and generally applicable to mammals. Yet, the modern chicken in its many forms is the result of artificial selection more intense than almost any other domesticated animal. A consequence of great variation in genotype and phenotype is that some breeds have inherent aberrant physiological and morphological traits that may show up relatively early in development (e.g., hypertension, hyperglycemia, and limb defects in the broiler chickens). While such traits can be useful as models of specific diseases, this high degree of specialization can color general experimental results and affect their translational value. Against this background, in this review we first consider the characteristics that make an animal model attractive for developmental research (e.g., accessibility, ease of rearing, size, fecundity, development rates, genetic variation, etc.). We then explore opportunities presented by the embryo to adult continuum of alternative bird models, including quail, ratites, songbirds, birds of prey, and corvids. We conclude by indicating that expanding developmental studies beyond the chicken model to include additional avian groups will both validate the chicken model as well as potentially identify even more suitable avian models for answering questions applicable to both basic biology and the human condition.

Hematology from embryo to adult in the bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus): Differential effects in the adult of clutch, sex and hypoxic incubation.

Hematology and its regulation in developing birds have been primarily investigated in response to relatively short-term environmental challenges in the embryo. Yet, whether any changes induced in the embryo persist into adulthood as a hematological form of "fetal programming" is unknown. We hypothesized that: 1) chronic as opposed to acute hypoxic incubation will alter hematological respiratory variables in embryos of bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), and 2) alterations first appearing in the embryo will persist into hatchlings through into adulthood. To test these hypotheses, we first developed an embryo-to-adult profile of normal hematological development by measuring hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell concentration ([RBC]), hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, as well plasma osmolality. Hct, [RBC] and [Hb] in normoxic-incubated birds (controls) steadily increased from ~22%, ~1.6 × 106 µL-1 and ~7 g% in day 12 embryos to almost double the values at maturity in adult birds. Both cohort and sex affected hematology of normoxic-incubated birds. A second population, incubated from day 0 (d0) in 15% O2, surprisingly revealed little or no significant difference from controls in hematology in embryos. In hatchlings and adults, hypoxic incubation caused no significant modification to any variables. Compared to major hematological effects caused by hypoxic incubation in chickens, the hematology of the bobwhite quail embryo appears to be minimally affected by hypoxic incubation, with very few effects induced during hypoxic incubation actually persisting into adulthood.