Rapid 3D phenotyping of chick embryo liver development at HH22-HH41 embryonic stages using X-ray microcomputed tomography with PTA staining.

ABSTRACT: Animal models, particularly the chicken embryo (CE), remain crucial for advancing developmental biology and medicine. Liver embryogenesis, a complex and tightly regulated process, is particularly susceptible to developmental abnormalities. This study presents a comprehensive 2D and 3D µCT analysis of CE liver development (HH22-HH41) using a refined 1% phosphotungstic acid (PTA) staining protocol. Our methodology yielded high-resolution visualization of liver microstructures, including intricate vascular networks, with image quality and contrast comparable to histological analysis. Quantitative assessment revealed a critical period of rapid liver growth between incubation days 6 and 9 (HH29-HH35), followed by the stabilization of hepatic vascular volume by day 10 (HH36). The ease of structu

SUBMITTER: Rzhepakovsky I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12558506 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature