Analysis of anomalies of quail embryonic development in egg during incubation in the conditions of space flight

Three cycles of quail egg incubation were performed in the conditions of spaceflight in incubators of Slovak provenience. In these experiments, 22 embryos were obtained at different stages of development with a variety of anomalies. Frequency of these anomalies exceeded considerably that of terrestrial controls. Analysis of this unique material revealed that the majority of them were defects of the primary nerve structures of the brain and eye as a derivative brain rudiment. Such anomalies accounted for 65%, while the remaining 35% were anomalies of ectoderm and mesoderm derivatives. It is assumed that the main reasons for this high frequency of anomalies of avian embryogenesis under conditions of space flight are both vibrations and overloads during transfer of the spaceship to orbit. These factors cause changes in the position of the embryo within the egg related to its components such as the air chamber, yolk and albumen. Mechanic displacements of the embryo during launch are then further reinforced by the effects of weightlessness.