Chick cells refer to cells derived from chickens, encompassing a wide range of cell types depending on their source and purpose. These cells can originate from various stages of development, including embryonic stages and adult tissues. The specific characteristics and applications of chick cells vary significantly.
Types of Chick Cells and Their Uses:
Several types of chick cells are used in various research and technological applications:
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Chick Embryonic Stem Cells (cESCs): These cells, derived from the blastoderm stage of chick embryos, are pluripotent, meaning they can differentiate into various cell types. They are a valuable tool in developmental biology research, allowing scientists to study cell differentiation and tissue formation. As stated in several provided references, cESCs can contribute to all somatic cell types but not the germ line.
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Cells from Adult Chick Tissues: Cells obtained from adult chicken tissues, such as the retina, hypothalamus, or bone, are used to study specific tissue functions and diseases. For instance, research using chick retina cells has advanced our understanding of retinal structure and function (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33393903/), while studies on chick hypothalamic development have improved our knowledge of innate behavior regulation (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35045288/). Similarly, research into chick bone cells has informed our understanding of bone cell lineage (https://www.nature.com/articles/258325a0).
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Cells for Cultivated Meat: The recent approval of cultivated chicken meat in the U.S. highlights the use of chick cells in food production. These cells are grown in a lab from animal cells or fertilized eggs, mixed with other ingredients, and cultivated into meat products (https://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/policy/cell-cultured-chicken/, https://apnews.com/article/cultivated-meat-lab-grown-cell-based-a88ab8e0241712b501aa191cdbf6b39a).
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Cells for Vaccine Production: Chick embryo cells are traditionally used in the production of certain vaccines, such as the purified chick embryo cell culture rabies vaccine (PCECV) (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11137239/).
Research Applications:
Chick cells are extensively used in various research areas including:
- Developmental Biology: Studying cell differentiation, tissue formation, and regeneration.
- Hearing Loss Research: Investigating the regeneration of inner ear hair cells (https://medicine.washu.edu/news/restoring-hearing-loss-chick-studies-show-promise/).
- Neurobiology: Understanding the development and function of the nervous system.
