AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 234, Issue 5 183-R187, Copyright © 1978 by American Physiological Society
Temperature dynamics of the fertile chicken egg
S. Kaplan, G. L. Kolesari and J. P. Bahr
Two thermistor temperature probes were mounted in fertile chicken eggs, one
at the position normally occupied by an early embryo and the other in the
center of the yolk. Temperature changes were constantly monitored while the
eggs were removed from holding refrigerator to incubator, incubator to room
temperature, or room temperature to incubator. Computer analysis was used
to develop a mathematical model of heat fluxes in the egg. Graphs derived
from this model are presented which permit any investigator to predict
approximate time and temperature variables under conditions commonly
encountered when using the chicken egg in biological research. We found
that when the egg is moved from an incubator (38 degrees C) to laboratory
bench (25 degrees C), there was a very rapid initial heat loss (over 8
degrees C in 10 min) at a site in the egg which would be occupied by an
early embryo. Conversely, when the egg is moved from the bench back to the
incubator, nearly 2 h is required for the egg to recover 90% of the heat
that it had lost while cooling to 25 degrees C.
