Prof. Bernd Kaspers - The developing immune system of the chicken embryo

The avian eggshell is a thin mineral layer (350 µm thick in chicken) that protects the egg content against mechanical impacts, dehydration and microorganism contamination. Eggshell formation is a

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Avian eggs have a proteinaceous cuticle covering the outside of the eggshell forming a barrier to the transmission of microorganisms. Although the cuticle is similar to the organic matrix, its

Brown Ring disease is caused by Vibrio tapetis, which, by adhering to newly secreted shell matrices, interferes with the biomineralization process. Colonization and alteration of the matrices induce

Osteoclasts are the cells responsible for bone resorption in steady state and bone destruction in chronic inflammatory diseases and osteoporosis.  Up to recently, they have been considered only as

Egg morphology is essential for animal survival, mediating the interactions between embryos and their environment, and a result have evolved into an enormous diversity of forms and functions in

To construct their skeletons, all metazoans secrete a complex array of macromolecules that are supposed to display key-functions in biomineralization, such as crystal nucleation and crystal growth

In oviparous animals such as birds, embryonic development occurs in the egg; after oviposition, there is no further possibility of material exchange from the hen to fulfill the physiological needs

The co-evolution of parasites and hosts has shaped the immune system. One such ‘arms race’ is between parasitic nematodes and their molluscan hosts. One such species (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita)

The functional properties of biomineralized structures found in Nature result from interactions between their hybrid components – both organic (mostly proteins) and inorganic (mineral) phases – to

Modern 3D imaging methods in biomineralization – such as X-ray tomography and dual-beam electron tomography – produce datasets that are rich in fine detail and enormous in size, often containing

Avian eggs possess very efficient and orchestrated systems to protect the embryo during incubation, until hatch. Although the internal components of the egg are assumed to be sterile, the surface