Ayesha Haque, Muhammad Yunus Khan.
Effect of Prenatal Administration of Retinoic Acid on the Thymus of Chick Embryo- A Histological Study.
Ann Pak Inst Med Sci Jan ;13(1):57-60.

Objective: This study was designed to see the effects of retinoic acid exposure on the histological development of the chick thymus. Study Design: Experimental study. Place and Duration: Department of Anatomy, Regional Centre, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, Islamabad, from February 2009 to February 2010 Material and methods: A defective model of chick thymus was induced by exposing chicken eggs to retinoic acid during the early stages of neural crest migration. The retinoic acid exposed experimental groups were compared with the age matched control groups at embryonic day 15 and at hatching. A statistical comparison of differences among groups was evaluated by the student's t test. Values of < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The mean number of lymphocytes was significantly reduced in the retinoic acid exposed experimental groups. Preferential cortical lymphodepletion was noted at the embryonic stage. There was a diminution of connective tissue septa in the experimental groups at both stages of development. Conclusion: Retinoic acid exposure caused hypo-proliferation of lymphocytes and diminished connective tissue septa in the chick thymus.

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