Japanese Students Hatch Shell-Less Chickens

In 2016, a group of Japanese high school students gained international attention for a video in which they demonstrated a way to hatch a chicken outside of its egg. The video, which has garnered tens of millions of views across various online platforms, shows the students cracking an egg, placing its contents into a plastic pouch, and incubating it until a baby chick emerges several days later. While the students did not invent this technique, their experiment showcases an innovative approach to studying embryo development and has sparked further exploration in the field of shell-less chicken hatching.

The process was first described in a 1971 article in the Journal of Poultry Science

The process of hatching a chicken without a shell was first described in a 1971 article in the Journal of Poultry Science. This "shell-less culture system" involves incubating a fertilized egg in a sterile lab environment. The embryo is sealed in a cup with a chemical solution to aid growth and calcium supplementation, and a separate solution to enhance development is held at the bottom of the cup. A plastic cover is placed on top, and the embryo is then placed in an incubator for 21 days until it hatches into a chick.

By day three, the embryo's heart has formed, and in another three weeks, the chick is fully formed. This technique allows researchers to more directly observe the development of the embryo, including the heart beating during development, and to take DNA or protein samples. It also enables the study of how chicks grow during their developmental stages and how to conserve abandoned or damaged eggs from endangered bird species.

Since the initial 1971 article, researchers have refined several different techniques, including incubating the eggs in their shells for three days before transferring them to a petri dish. The process has been detailed in subsequent papers, including one published in the Journal of Poultry Science in 2014, which described how a "shell-less" method for growing chickens from embryos could lead to research in "transgenic chickens, embryo manipulations, tissue engineering, and basic studies in regenerative medicine".

While the Japanese high school students' experiment gained international attention, it is important to note that they did not invent the shell-less hatching technique. The process has been referred to in scientific literature dating back to at least 1971, and the specific technique they used was the same as that described in the 2014 paper.

The shell-less method allows researchers to observe the embryo's development more directly

The shell-less method of hatching a chicken egg is a significant advancement for researchers and scientists as it allows for more direct observation of the embryo's development. This technique, first described in a 1971 article in the Journal of Poultry Science, has been refined over the years, with a 2014 paper providing detailed instructions for students to replicate the experiment.

The removal of the shell barrier enables researchers to employ various tools, such as microscopes, to closely monitor the embryo's growth. This direct observation technique provides valuable insights into the developmental process, allowing researchers to capture critical milestones, such as the formation of the heart within the first three days.

Additionally, the shell-less method enhances the ease of extracting DNA or protein samples, further enriching the understanding of the embryo's development. The accessibility of the embryo also encourages experimentation with time-lapse photography, providing a detailed visual record of the embryo's transformation.

The success of the Japanese students in employing this method highlights the educational value of such experiments in biology classes. By directly observing the embryo's development, students gain a deeper understanding of the hatching process while ensuring the chick's survival. This approach aligns with the findings of Japanese researchers, who published their excitement in a science journal, highlighting the potential for studying chick growth during developmental stages and conserving abandoned or damaged eggs from endangered bird species.

While the shell-less method has its advantages, it is important to recognize that creating an artificial environment that replicates the complex functions of a natural egg shell remains a challenge. A natural egg shell serves as a protective barrier, a source of nutrition, and a regulator of gas exchange for the embryonic chicken. Therefore, the shell-less technique is not suitable for commercial chicken breeding or raising chickens for food, as Professor Peebles noted. Nevertheless, the shell-less method remains a valuable tool for researchers and educators, offering a unique window into the fascinating world of embryo development.

The egg must be kept warm with an incubator

The process of hatching a chicken without its shell is not new. In fact, the first description of a shell-less (or ex-ovo) culture technique dates back to an article published in the Journal of Poultry Science in 1971. The process was refined in 1974 by a high school student.

In 2016, a group of Japanese students demonstrated this technique in a video that went viral. They cracked open a fertilized egg into a cup covered with plastic wrap and sealed the embryo in the cup. The egg must then be kept warm with an incubator. The incubator mimics the warmth of a mother hen, who would naturally sit on her eggs to keep them warm until they hatch. The incubator is set to a specific temperature that is optimal for chick development. This process takes about 21 days, during which the embryo develops and eventually hatches into a chick.

The Japanese students' technique is similar to those described in previous publications. One such method involves incubating the eggs in their shells for three days before transferring them to a petri dish. This allows for the observation of the embryo's development in real time. The Japanese students' method, however, simplifies the process by placing the shell-less egg directly into a plastic wrap and then into the incubator.

To ensure the chick's health and development, the plastic wrap must be made permeable to gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide. This is done by creating a small hole at the top of the bag, mimicking the permeability of a natural eggshell. The amount of oxygen, humidity, and calcium in the system must also be carefully monitored.

By removing the shell, researchers can more directly observe the development of the embryo. This allows for techniques such as time-lapse photography and the ability to take DNA or protein samples more easily. While this process is not suitable for commercial chicken breeding or raising chickens for food, it has applications in research areas such as transgenic chickens, embryo manipulations, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.

The plastic wrap must be permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide

The Japanese students' experiment involved hatching a chicken without its shell, allowing them to directly observe the embryo's development. This method of hatching eggs outside their shell has been around for decades, with the first description of a shell-less culture technique dating back to 1971. The process involves incubating the eggs in their shells for a few days before transferring them to a plastic pouch or a cup lined with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap must be permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide, usually by making a small hole at the top of the bag, to mimic the properties of a natural egg shell. This allows the chick embryo to breathe during incubation.

The students' experiment, which was conducted in a sterile lab environment, began with cracking a fertilized egg into a cup lined with plastic wrap and a chemical solution to aid growth and calcium supplementation. A separate solution to enhance development was placed at the bottom of the cup, and a plastic cover was placed on top. By day three, the embryo's heart had formed, and in about three weeks, the chick hatched.

The shell-less hatching method has several applications, including studying chick development and conserving abandoned or damaged eggs from endangered bird species. It also allows for more direct observation of the embryo, facilitating techniques such as time-lapse photography and DNA or protein sampling.

While the Japanese students' experiment received international attention, it is important to note that they did not invent this technique. The process was described in a 2014 paper in the Journal of Poultry Science, and the video featuring the students showed them replicating a "shell-less culture system" demonstrated by Professors Yutaka Tahara and Katsuya Obara.

The experiment requires a sterile environment

The experiment, as performed by the Japanese students, requires a sterile environment. The process is not new, with the first description of a shell-less culture technique dating back to an article published in the Journal of Poultry Science in 1971. The Japanese students' technique was the same as the one described in a 2014 paper also published in the Journal of Poultry Science. The paper referenced a 1988 paper that served as the inspiration for the technique.

The Japanese students' experiment involved cracking open a fertilized egg into a plastic pouch or a cup covered with plastic wrap. The egg was then placed in an incubator for 21 days, until it hatched into a chick. The plastic wrap must be permeable to gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide, which is what allows the chick embryo to breathe during incubation. A small hole at the top of the bag usually ensures this permeability.

To create a sterile environment, flawless sterile techniques must be employed. This includes carefully and quickly transferring the egg from its shell to the plastic wrap and incubator. The amount of oxygen, humidity, and calcium in the system must also be carefully monitored to ensure the chick's health and development.

The sterile environment is crucial as it helps prevent contamination and provides a controlled setting for the embryo's development. It enables researchers to observe the embryo's growth directly, conduct microscopic examinations, perform time-lapse photography, and take DNA or protein samples more easily. The sterile environment, combined with the absence of the egg shell, allows for a unique perspective on the developmental process of the chick embryo.

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