Magnetic resonance imaging (1H) and spectroscopy (1H, 31P) of growing chicken embryos

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and spectroscopy techniques were used to observe in vivo anatomical and metabolite changes, respectively, in developing chicken embryos. Proton (1H) NMR images of the eggs revealed major changes in yolk shape from day 2 to day 6. Embryos were visible from day 6 to hatching, and good embryonic anatomical images were obtained. Two peaks were observed from 1H-NMR spectroscopy of fertilized eggs: one for lipid methylene protons, and one for water protons. Water peak to lipid peak ratios did not vary significantly (P > 0.05) from day 2 to day 21 of incubation. Localized 31P-NMR spectra of developing embryos were obtained with either a 31P surface coil or a double-tuned 31P/1H volume coil. The surface-coil method gave a greater signal to noise ratio by a factor of four. The 31P-NMR spectra indicated two peaks at day 2; these were attributed to phosphomonoesters and phosphodiesters. The three peaks characteristic of ATP appeared on day 11 and increased in size until hatch...