title: A battery of potential alternatives to the Draize test: uridine uptake inhibition, morphological cytotoxicity, macrophage chemotaxis and exfoliative cytology.
abstract: Four assays that may serve as components of a battery of alternatives to the conventional Draize test were described. The exfoliative cytology assay is a refinement of the Draize test that may provide a more sensitive and more objective end-point. The macrophage migration assay addresses the inflammatory aspects of the physiological response to irritation. The uridine uptake inhibition assay uses a quantitative, reversible end-point to detect the short-term action of agents on cell membranes and cell phosphorylative potential. Finally, the cytological assay serves as a rapid, easily performed general indicator of cytotoxic action. The two latter assays have been demonstrated to correlate very well with Draize test results and with each other for a wide range of test agents.
mesh_terms: D000826:Animal Testing Alternatives; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007509:Irritants / Q000633:toxicity*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011817:Rabbits; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D014529:Uridine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007509:Irritants; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014529:Uridine