Definition

1. Noun:
   • A highly vascularized fetal membrane: The chorioallantoic membrane is an extraembryonic membrane formed by the fusion of the chorion and the allantois. It plays a crucial role in gas exchange and waste removal in the eggs of birds and some reptiles, and is also used as a model system in biological research.

Usage

• The chorioallantoic membrane is a structure that develops in avian and reptilian embryos.
• In scientific contexts, it is often referred to by its abbreviation, CAM.
• It is primarily discussed in fields like embryology, developmental biology, and experimental research.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Researchers inoculated the virus onto the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken eggs to study its growth.
  • The chorioallantoic membrane provides a rich network of blood vessels for the developing embryo.
  • In the lab, the chorioallantoic membrane assay is a common technique for studying angiogenesis.

Advanced Usage

• "Chorioallantoic membrane assay/model": A standard experimental technique where the CAM of a chicken egg is used as an in vivo system to study processes like tumor growth, drug responses, or blood vessel formation.
  • The team used the chorioallantoic membrane model to test the anti-angiogenic properties of the new compound.

Variants and Related Words

• CAM: A common abbreviation for "chorioallantoic membrane."
• Chorioallantois: An alternative noun form referring to the same fused membrane structure.
• Chorion: One of the two membranes that fuse to form the chorioallantoic membrane; the outer membrane surrounding the embryo.
• Allantois: The other membrane that fuses with the chorion; a sac-like structure involved in respiration and waste storage.

Synonyms

• Extraembryonic membrane: A broader term for membranes like the chorion, allantois, amnion, and yolk sac that support the embryo but are not part of its body.
• Vascular membrane: A descriptive term highlighting its key characteristic of being rich in blood vessels.

Related Phrases

• CAM grafting: The experimental procedure of transplanting tissue or cells onto the chorioallantoic membrane.
  • CAM grafting is a valuable method for observing tumor cell invasion.
• To inoculate the CAM: A phrase describing the act of introducing a substance (e.g., a virus, tumor cells) onto the chorioallantoic membrane.
  • The protocol requires you to carefully inoculate the CAM with the sample.

Noun

1. the very vascular fetal membrane composed of the fused chorion and adjacent wall of the allantois