Incubation temperature affects type X collagen expression in embryonic ducks

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Date

2014-05

Authors

Prickett, Amanda L.

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The Ohio State University

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Abstract

Optimal temperature regulation is an important component of avian incubation and the process of embryonic development can be accelerated by even small increases in incubation temperature. The incubation period for ducks is 28 days and it has been shown in our lab that an increase in temperature from 37.5 °C to 38.5 °C during early incubation (0 to 10d) will increase embryonic body weight during mid-incubation (approximately 10 to 18d) in duck embryos. The aim of this project was to study the effects of increased incubation temperature on type X collagen expression in duck embryos. Type X collagen is a marker specific to hypertrophic chondrocytes which are associated with the terminal maturation of cartilage prior to the onset of mineralization. The femur and tibiotarsus of White Pekin ducks were collected at various stages of embryonic development. RNA was isolated from these tissues and used to make corresponding complementary DNA. This cDNA was then used for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with a primer for type X collagen found in the literature. The primers for TBP from Meleagris gallopavo and RPS13 for Anas platyrhynchos were used as housekeeping genes. It was observed that type X collagen was expressed in embryos collected from both temperature treatments as early as day 12 of incubation. The preliminary data resulting from image analysis suggests that an increase in incubation temperature increases the transcription of type X collagen in mid to late embryogenesis, 18d and 25d. However, at hatch, transcription of type X collagen in birds incubated at 99.5 °F is greater than those incubated at 100.5 °F. These results suggest a potential positive relationship between increased embryonic transcription of type X collagen and embryo growth.

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Keywords

Incubation, Temperature, Duck, Skeleton, Cartilage

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