Production of Beak and Skeletal Malformations of Chick Embryo by Semicarbazide

Summary

Semicarbazide · HCl when injected into the embryonated White Leghorn egg at 4-6 days produced shortened and malformed lower beak and bent tarsometatarsal and tibiotarsal bones. The embryos were most sensitive to this injection at 6 days of incubation. Gross and histological effects were quite marked 48 hours after injection. Nicotinamide, pyridoxal, pyridoxine, biotin, and riboflavin administered simultaneously with SCH did not overcome the effects. Different effects on bone and soft tissues were produced with 1-phenylsemicarbazide. p-Hy-drazinobenzoic acid, but not benzoic hydra-zide, produced abnormalities very similar to those following SCH treatment. Only a small incidence of skeletal defect resulted from administration of thiosemicarbazide.