Oxidative homeostasis and survival instincts of chicken egg, embryo and adult

Malik Ahsan Ali; M Khuzema Niaz; Jiu Zhou Song; Hong Yan Sun; Ying Jie Niu; Qi Sheng Zuo; Qian Xue; Wei Han; Kai Jin; Bi Chun Li

doi:10.1016/j.psj.2026.106710

Oxidative homeostasis and survival instincts of chicken egg, embryo and adult

Poult Sci. 2026 Jun;105(6):106710. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2026.106710. Epub 2026 Feb 27.

Authors

Malik Ahsan Ali¹, M Khuzema Niaz², Jiu Zhou Song³, Hong Yan Sun⁴, Ying Jie Niu⁵, Qi Sheng Zuo⁶, Qian Xue⁷, Wei Han⁸, Kai Jin⁹, Bi Chun Li¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China. Electronic address: dr.ahsan@yzu.edu.cn.
² Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
³ Department of Animal & Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States. Electronic address: songj88@umd.edu.
⁴ Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China. Electronic address: sunhy@yzu.edu.cn.
⁵ Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China. Electronic address: niuyj@yzu.edu.cn.
⁶ Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China. Electronic address: 006664@yzu.edu.cn.
⁷ Poultry Institute, Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Sciences/Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou 225003, China. Electronic address: yzxueqian@163.com.
⁸ Poultry Institute, Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Sciences/Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yangzhou 225003, China. Electronic address: hanwei830@163.com.
⁹ Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
¹⁰ Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China. Electronic address: yubcli@yzu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Chicken embryos and stem cells require precisely regulated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to maintain self-renewal and pluripotency. However, excessive ROS induces oxidative stress, leading to DNA damage, chromosomal aberrations, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and ultimately, abnormal differentiation or cell death. This oxidative imbalance is a significant barrier to successful embryonic development and the in vitro culture of stem cells. Innate antioxidant defense systems exist within chicken and mammalian embryos to scavenge excess ROS, a finding that has prompted the strategic addition of antioxidants to culture media. The present review has two primary foci. Firstly, it seeks to expand the understanding of the antioxidant defense mechanisms of the chicken embryo. Secondly, it explores the role of exogenous antioxidant supplementation in the culture of various stem cell types, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), primordial germ cells (PGCs), spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Enhancing in vitro stem cell survival and directed differentiation through antioxidant supplementation holds significant promise for advancing fields such as tissue regeneration, organ transplantation, and the development of transgenic chicken models for improved production traits, vaccine development, and recombinant protein production.

Keywords: Antioxidants defense mechanisms; SOD; Selenium; Stem cells; Vitamin E.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Antioxidants* / metabolism
Chick Embryo / physiology
Chickens* / physiology
Homeostasis*
Ovum* / physiology
Oxidative Stress*
Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism

Substances

Antioxidants
Reactive Oxygen Species