Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH)-like Phenotype in Immobilized Chick Embryos

INTRODUCTION: Developmental dysplasia/dislocation of the hip (DDH) is the most common post-natal skeletal abnormality, and occurs when the joint between the femoral head and the acetabulum is unstable or malformed, or when the femoral head is partially or completely dislocated from the acetabular cup [1]. It is widely acknowledged that conditions which cause or result in reduced movement in utero are contributing factors to the incidence and severity of DDH in infants [1]. However, the hypothesis that prenatal movement plays a role in normal development of the hip joint has not been tested using embryonic model systems. In this research, we investigate the effect of immobilization in chick embryos on hip joint morphogenesis and explore the potential for immobilized chick embryos to serve as a model system for pre natal and neo-natal onset DDH.