title: Effects of retinoic acid on embryonic development of mice in culture.
abstract: The effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) (tretinoin) on the craniofacial development of mouse embryos were examined using whole embryo culture. In day 8 embryos cultured for 48 h, embryonic growth was inhibited concentration-dependently by all-trans-RA treatment. Most of the treated embryos exhibited hypoplasia of the primary palatal processes and a reduction in the development of the first visceral arches. In day 10 embryos cultured for 48 h, although embryonic growth was not inhibited at any concentrations of all-trans-RA, median cleft lip (93%), hypoplasia of the primary palatal processes (37%) and limb reduction deformities (48%) occurred commonly. Furthermore, RA treatment greatly reduced the size of the secondary palatal processes. The incorporation of 3H-thymidine in the treated maxillary processes was decreased to 65% of the control value at 1.0 x 10(-7) M all-trans-RA. These findings indicate that all-trans-RA is teratogenic in mouse whole embryo culture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pratt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013723:Teratogens; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D013723:Teratogens; D014212:Tretinoin