National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Poult Sci. 2023 Dec;102(12):103149. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103149. Epub 2023 Sep 26.
Eggshell translucency, an externally observable feature, can influence consumer purchase intentions. The eggshell quality often deteriorates in aging laying hens, leading to increased eggshell translucency. Eggs exchange water vapor through the pores. It is commonly believed that the moisture remaining in the mastoid space contributes to translucent egg formation. However, the precise mechanisms underlying eggshell translucency require further structural investigations. This study aimed to explore the 3-dimensional microstructure of eggshells using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to provide insights into the microstructural basis of eggshell translucency. The results revealed that the ratio of pore volume to mastoid space volume was significantly higher in the high-translucency (T) group than that in the low-translucency (T) group (P < 0.01); however, the ratio of mastoid space to eggshell volume showed no significant difference. Additionally, measurements of the individual pore morphological features showed that the roundness of the pores in the T group was significantly higher than that in the T group, whereas the flatness of the pores in the T group was significantly lower (P = 0.01). Eggshell porosity directly reflects the water vapor exchange capacity of eggshells, with the T group exhibiting significantly higher eggshell porosity compared to the T group (P = 0.02). In conclusion, based on observations of the 3-dimensional microstructure of eggshells, this study elucidated how the volume and morphological characteristics of pores influence the water vapor exchange capacity of eggshells, resulting in eggshell translucency.
蛋壳透光性是一种外在可见的特征，会影响消费者的购买意愿。随着蛋鸡年龄的增长，蛋壳质量通常会下降，导致蛋壳透光性增加。鸡蛋通过气孔交换水蒸气。人们普遍认为，乳突腔内残留的水分会导致形成透光蛋。然而，蛋壳透光性的确切机制需要进一步的结构研究。本研究旨在使用微计算机断层扫描（micro-CT）探索蛋壳的 3 维微观结构，以了解蛋壳透光性的微观结构基础。结果表明，高透光组（T 组）的孔体积与乳突腔体积比显著高于低透光组（T 组）（P<0.01）；然而，乳突腔与蛋壳体积比无显著差异。此外，对单个孔形态特征的测量表明，T 组的孔圆形度显著高于 T 组，而 T 组的孔扁平度显著低于 T 组（P=0.01）。蛋壳孔隙率直接反映蛋壳的水蒸气交换能力，T 组的蛋壳孔隙率显著高于 T 组（P=0.02）。综上所述，本研究通过观察蛋壳的 3 维微观结构，阐明了孔的体积和形态特征如何影响蛋壳的水蒸气交换能力，从而导致蛋壳透光性。
