This study was undertaken to investigate
the relationships between stage of embryonic development and early posthatch growth and the level of
rhodanese (thiosulfate:cyanide sulfurtransferase) activity
in different regions of the digestive tract and liver of
chickens. The embryos were studied at 14, 17, and 20 d
and chickens were 1, 2, and 3 wk old. All tissues studied
contained rhodanese. The highest specific activity of
rhodanese was present in the liver followed by the
proventriculus (P < 0.05). The lowest level was in the
esophagus. The level of rhodanese was found to increase
with age in the proventriculus and duodenum. The
highest rhodanese activity in 3-wk-old chickens was in
the proventriculus followed by the liver. These results
are discussed in terms of the role of different sections of
the digestive tract of the chicken in cyanide metabolism.
