Immunological responses following early embryonic surgical bursectomy

Abstract

Hormonal and late embryonic surgical bursectomy have been shown to produce chicks deficient in IgM and/or IgG, depending on the time of bursectomy. Some of these hormonally bursectomized birds were reported to have atrophy of the thymic cortex. We have developed a new technique for early embryonic surgical bursectomy (at 70 hr in ovo). Results of stimulation tests with BSA and SRBC indicates a few of the bursectomized birds are capable of producing small amounts of antibody. Early embryonic surgical bursectomy also results in incomplete development of the thymic cortex, indicating a developmental interrelationship exists between the bursa and thymus.