BONE AND MUSCULAR TISSUE-DEVELOPMENT IN EMBRYOS AND NEWLY-HATCHED QUAIL INCUBATED IN WEIGHTLESSNESS

The aim of our study was the growth dynamics of skeleton and muscles o f femur and crus by the quail embryos and hatchlings on the 3rd-4th da y of life. It was shown that the processes of muscle tissue differenti ation of the flight group embryos are similar to those of the control group. The quail hatched in microgravity and living to their 4th day o f life, manifested definite signs of degenerative changes in the femur and crus muscles, such as swelling and decomposition of myofibrils, h omogenization of sarcoplasm, lysis or decomposition of nuclei. The gro wth of cartilage foundations and the rate of skeleton ossification pro ved to lag behind in the flight group embryos. It was more pronounced in the ossa membri pelvici as compared to the wing and by freely livin g hatched birds as compared to the embryos.