ABSTRACT
The paper presents the results of comparative characterization of the effects of low oxygen levels (10 ± 0.5 and 14.5 ± 0.5%) on developing organism. Four-day old embryos of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were chosen for the object of investigation as this is the age when avians acquire their organs and systems. Acute hypoxia (10 ± 0.5% oxygen) caused a general death of the embryos, and serious abnormalities of the eye and brain, and ectopy. Embryos that developed in the low-oxygen atmosphere (14.5 ± 0.5%) did not exhibit many of these morphological abnormalities and yet their growth was retarded apparently. Such abnormalities in acute hypoxia are ascribed to disturbance in development of extra-embryonic membranes, amnion in particular, desynchronization of morphogenetic processes and movement of embryo's tissue layers.
