由加拿大科学家领导的国际研究团队发现了蛇胚胎在卵内形成螺旋形的机制1。研究人员分析了来自39个蛇类及其他无肢蜥蜴物种的超过900个胚胎，通过CT扫描揭示了这一现象的根本原因1。
根据研究发现，蛇胚胎的身体生长速度快于肠道，肠道由此充当约束作用，导致胚胎在卵内发生弯曲和扭转1。胚胎在卵产下后最初几周内仅向右螺旋式卷曲，CT扫描显示胚胎内存在未连接到身体其余部分的肠道柱结构1。研究团队负责人Tetsuto Miyashita博士用比喻解释了这一过程："这就像你调整皮带长度，较长的屈曲一侧扭转成环"1。蛇胚胎需要快速伸长以产生其异常细长的身体，而肠道的生长速度与之不同，这种生长速度的差异最终导致了螺旋式卷曲1。在发育后期，约一半的胚胎保持右旋，另一半则重新卷曲为左旋1。该研究成果已发表在《当代生物学》2026年7月刊上1。
An international research team led by Canadian scientists has uncovered the mechanism behind the distinctive spiral shape of snake embryos.1 The phenomenon occurs because the embryo's body grows faster than its intestines, with the intestinal tract acting like a restraining rope that forces the body to bend and twist within the egg.1
The researchers analyzed over 900 embryos from 39 snake species and other limbless lizard species using CT scanning to reveal this developmental process.1 In the initial weeks after eggs are laid, embryos curl exclusively to the right when viewed from head to tail.1 CT scans revealed the presence of an intestinal column structure within the embryo that remains disconnected from the rest of the body.1 Because snake embryos must elongate rapidly to achieve their characteristically slender bodies, but their intestines grow at a different rate, the mismatch creates the spiral configuration.1 Dr. Tetsuto Miyashita explained the mechanism by analogy: "It's like adjusting the length of a belt—the longer side curls and twists into loops."1 Later in development, approximately half of the embryos maintain their right-handed spiral, while the other half recoil into a left-handed configuration.1
The findings were published in Current Biology in July 2026.1
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