Modelling the chicken embryo to studying early lung development

Embryos exposed to insults during the first trimester have a higher risk of developing congenital anomalies since this gestational period is characterized by organogenesis-related events. The chicken embryo is an excellent model to study the impact of specific drugs and treatments on embryonic development. With the in ovo approach, it is possible to reproduce systemic exposure from the very start of embryo development without maternal influence and assess toxicity and teratogenicity in early development and, specifically, in lung development. Early avian lung development displays morphological and molecular similarities with mammalian lung and, therefore, it can be used to study branching morphogenesis. Hence, this project aims to use the chicken embryo to study the impact of relevant drugs and conditions in early embryogenesis and lung organogenesis by using an in ovo model.

Funding Agency

–

Project Reference

–

Project Members

Rute S Moura

Affiliated Researcher Project Leader

Jorge Correia-Pinto

Principal Investigator

Main Project Outcomes

2023. Silva-Ribeiro T, Coelho E, Genisheva Z, Oliveira JM, Correia-Pinto J, Sampaio P, Moura RS. Comparative study of e-cigarette aerosol and cigarette smoke effect on ex vivo embryonic chick lung explants. Toxicol Lett. doi:10.1016/j.toxlet.2023.01.002

2022. Barbosa VB, Costa-Silva PF, Araújo-Silva H, Miranda G, Correia-Pinto J, Moura RS. Molecular insights of Hippo signaling in the chick developing lung. Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech. 1866(1):194904. doi:10.1016/j.bbagrm.2022.194904

2021. Fernandes-Silva H, Alves MG, Araújo-Silva H, Silva AM, Correia-Pinto J, Oliveira PF, Moura RS. Lung branching morphogenesis is accompanied by temporal metabolic changes towards a glycolytic preference. Cell Biosci 11:134. doi:10.1186/s13578-021-00654-w

2017. Fernandes-Silva H, Vaz-Cunha P, Barbosa VB, Silva-Gonçalves C, Correia-Pinto J, Moura RS. Retinoic acid regulates avian lung branching through a molecular network. Cell Mol Life Sci, 74(24):4599-4619. doi:10.1007/s00018-017-2600-3.

2016. Moura RS, Silva-Gonçalves C, Vaz-Cunha P, Correia-Pinto J. Expression analysis of Shh signaling members in early stages of chick lung development. Histochem Cell Biol. 146(4):457-66. doi: 10.1007/s00418-016-1448-1.

2015. Moura RS, Vaz-Cunha P, Silva-Gonçalves C, Correia-Pinto J. Characterization of miRNA processing machinery in the embryonic chick lung. Cell Tissue Res. 362(3):569-575. doi:10.1007/s00441-015-2240-6

2014. Moura RS, Carvalho-Correia E, daMota P, Correia-Pinto J. Canonical Wnt signaling activity in early stages of chick lung development. PLoS ONE, 9(12):e112388. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0112388.

2011. Moura RS, Coutinho-Borges JP, Pacheco AP, daMota PO, Correia-Pinto J. FGF signaling pathway in the developing chick lung: expression and inhibition studies. PLoS ONE, 6(3):e17660. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017660.