A scientific group from the Japanese universities of Tsukuba and Okayama has created a system for developing chicken embryos without using natural eggshells. This was reported by gazeta.ru with reference to Scientific Reports.

Scientists managed to overcome the key problem of previous experiments – drying out of the embryo’s protective membrane. The solution was found in using a special rotating shaker operating at a speed of 10 revolutions per minute.

The success of the experiment was ensured by a combination of several factors: enrichment of the environment with oxygen, addition of calcium carbonate powder imitating a natural shell, and a special shaking regime for the container with the embryo in the first 48 hours of development. This approach permitted us to achieve the maximum percentage of successful hatching of healthy chicks.

Scientists emphasize that the developed technology is not intended for industrial poultry farming. The main value of the method lies in its potential for scientific research, including toxicological testing, stem cell studies, the development of regenerative medicine and the improvement of biovisualization methods. The new technology permits for detailed observation of all stages of embryonic development of poultry.