The experimental production of abdominal wall defects in the chick embryo

: We have developed experimental models of gastroschisis and celosomias (omphalocele and Cantrell's pentalogy) in the chick embryo. They were obtained by operation "in ovo" and early aspiration of 5 ml of egg albumin respectively. We have observed 42 gastroschisis out of 184 operated embryos and 12 exomphalos and 20 pentalogies out of 528 aspirated embryos. These models enable us to study the biology of malformed fetuses.