ABSTRACT
The effect of mitomycin C before completion of organogenesis was studied in chicken embryos. The injection of mitomycin C into the yolk sac produced developmental anomalies which varied with the time of injection. Embryos treated on the 3rd day of development (2–16 μg/egg) had retardation of growth, bilateral microphthalmia, cerebral hemorrhage, malformations of lower extremities, lower beak and defect of calvarium. Specimens treated on the 4th day of development (2–28 μg/egg) had retardation of growth, abnormalities of beak, lower extremities and calvarium. Histological examination of viable embryos sacrificed 2–6 days after injection revealed necrotic changes involving the developing retina, lens, cerebral vesicles, mesenchyme and heart. Histological examination of 19-to 20-day-old treated embryos showed depression of hematopoietic and osteoblastic tissues.
The skeletal abnormalities produced included shortening and curvature, deformity of the bones of lower extremities, especially the tibia. Absence of other bones of the lower extremities was also encountered.
