THE TERATOGENIC EFFECT OF CENTRIFUGAL FORCE ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM OF CHICK EMBRYO

Abstract

1. Fertile eggs were subjected to a clockwise centrifugal force (0.592 × m. gr. force) for a period of 9 hours. 2. Experimental embryos exhibited various anomalies of the heart and great vessels, such as aortic arch anomaly, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and double outlet right ventricle. In the control group, only ventricular septal defect was found. It was small in size compared to the experimental group. 3. Congenital malformation of the cardiovascular system might be caused by the effect of centrifugal force which induced an alteration of the flow pattern, stagnation or injery to cardiac tissue in the developing cardiac tube. 4. Further investigation will be needed to produce the specific malformation of cardiovascular system by changing gravity of centrifugal force, and selecting specific embryonic stage.