Aspects concerned with morphogenesis of Gallus gallus domesticus, avail studies related to the action of the insulin in the topography and embryonic structures. At the temperature of 37.5ºC, eggs were incubated during 24 h, injected with 5 ml of swine insulin in three concentrations and reincubated for more 72 h. The morphological characteristics of 80 embryos were evaluated and, according to the presented organization, classified in 5 morphogenetic levels. It was registered generalized dismorphism (4th level) in 21 embryos that went through the tests with insulin. Standard morphogenesis (1st level) and located dismorphism (3rd level) were verified among those from the control experiments. Those individuous concerned with the 4th level, showed reduced dimension of the body and were characterized by anterior-dorsal limits organized in a cephalic projection, and also presented alterations in the posterior-ventral region. These features evidence a pattern of abnormality in the determination of the cephalic-caudal axis and indicate a specific action of the insulin in the embryonic morphogenesis, in the period of 96 hours of incubation.
insulin; chick embryos; morphogenetic levels
