Oxygen permeability of the shell and membranes of chicken eggs during development.

Oxygen permeability (KO2) was measured through the shell and shell membranes of chicken eggs throughout incubation. Shell KO2 was constant at 1.90 x 10(-6) cm3 O2 STP . sec-1 . cm-2 . Torr-1. Outer shell membrane KO2 was constant at 1.78 x 10(-6) cm3 O2 STP . sec-1 . cm-2 . Torr-1. Inner membrane KO2 increased from 0.11 x 10(-6) cm3 O2 STP . sec-1 . cm-2. Torr-1 to 1.56 x 10(-6) cm3 O2 STP . sec-1 . cm-2 . Torr-1. Calculations of KO2 from oxygen uptake rates and air cell PO2's were in close agreement with direct measurement of KO2. Resistance to oxygen flux was partitioned at each level. The outer membrane added 6% to the resistance of the shell. The inner membrane initially accounted for 88% of the shell/membrane complex resistance, but fell to 12% of the resistance by the end of incubation. The hypothesis is discussed that the increased permeability of the inner membrane is related to the evaporation of water from the membrane surface. The possibility is rejected that the shell membranes may be potential sites for respiratory adaptation to incubation at altitude.