De luchtzakken van vogels: visualisatie bij de kip door middel van de afgietseltechniek

Because of their important physiological functions, the avian air sacs have already been described in detail. However, three-dimensional illustrations, which are very useful for clinical research and in particular for medical imaging, are sparse. Therefore, in the present study the air sac system of young chickens was visualized using the corrosion casting technique. The 9 air sacs that could be demonstrated were the unpaired clavicular air sac and the paired cervical, cranial and caudal thoracic, and abdominal air sacs. The latter were by far the largest and were interwoven with the abdominal organs. The numerous diverticles extending from the air sacs were rather small. This might be the result of the applied technique or the fact that the air sac system has not yet been fully developed in young birds. Further studies investigating potential species differences or conformational changes of the air sacs in growing animals are valuable