Modeling Chick to Assess Diabetes Pathogenesis and Treatment

Abstract

■ AbstractAnimal models have been used extensively in diabetes research. Studies on animal models have contributed to the discovery and purification of insulin, development of new therapeutic approaches, and progress in fundamental and clinical research. However, conventional rodent and large animal mammalian models face ethical, practical, or technical limitations. Therefore, it would be beneficial developing an alternative model for diabetes research which would overcome these limitations. Amongst other vertebrates, birds are phylogenically closer to mammals, and amongst birds, the chick has been used as one of the favored models in developmental biology, toxicology, cancer research, immunology, and drug testing. Chicken eggs are readily available, have a short incubation period and easily accessible embryos. Based on these inimitable advantages, the present review article aims to discuss the suitability of the chick as a model system to study specific aspects of diabetes. The review focuses on the application of i) chick pancreatic islets for screening of antidiabetic agents and for islet banking, (ii) shell-less chick embryo culture as a model to study hyperglycemia-induced malformations observed in mammalian embryos, and (iii) chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) to examine glucose-induced endothelial damage leading to inhibition of angiogenesis.

Chickens from lines artificially selected for juvenile low and high body weight differ in glucose homeostasis and pancreas physiology

“…With the growing concern of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in humans, chickens have recently been recognized as an attractive model for studying diabetes (Datar and Bhonde, 2011).…”

“…Generally speaking, the use of chickens for biomedical research has many advantages. Currently, chickens serve as a model for investigating atherosclerosis, hypertension, cholesterol metabolism, bone development, pathology, and cancer (Datar and Bhonde, 2011). The short generation interval (21 days of incubation), combined with ease of artificial insemination, allows for efficient and straightforward research protocols.…”

Cracking the Egg: Potential of the Developing Chicken as a Model System for Nonclinical Safety Studies of Pharmaceuticals

“…The chicken embryo and fetus constitute a model system with a long and fascinating history. Since Aristotle first started dissecting chicken embryos around the year 350 BCE, this model system has contributed substantially to a foundation for our understanding of human development and has also contributed important insight into immunology, cancer, and other areas of human disease (Stern, 2005;Datar and Bhonde, 2011;Kain et al, 2014).…”

Effects of intracerebroventricular injection of rosiglitazone on appetite-associated parameters in chicks

“…In chickens, TZDs have been shown to affect fat deposition, with results dependent on route of administration (e.g., oral vs. peripheral) and age of the bird (Sato et al, 2004;Sato et al, 2008). In general, avians are inherently hyperglycemic and insulin resistant as compared to mammals (Braun and Sweazea, 2008), and as such, chickens have been touted as an alternative model for researching mechanisms underlying diabetes (Datar and Bhonde, 2011).…”