Effect of retinoic acid and valproate on sea urchin development.
The effect of valproate and retinoic acid on Paracentrotus lividus development and fertilization is reported. Retinoic acid at concentrations between 5 microM and 7 microM causes severe disturbance of development and at 10 microM complete embryo degeneration if added in the period from fertilization on. Concentrations up to 7 microM are uneffective if retinoic acid addition is started 16 h after fertilization. Valproate at concentrations between 1 mM and 5 mM causes severe disturbances of development if added from 5 min after fertilization on. Concentrations of 20 mM are lethal to all embryos. If the drug is added 16 h after fertilization no effect is observed up to the concentration of 10 mM. The effect of valproate is specific, because its isomere 2-en at 10 mM has very little effect on development. Both drugs affect fertilization only at higher concentrations: more than 1 microM for retinoic acid and more than 10 mM for valproate.
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Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo Alberto Monroy, Università die Palermo, Italy.
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Romancino
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Cascino
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Giudice
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D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects; D007536:Isomerism; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D012617:Sea Urchins; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000633:toxicity*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014212:Tretinoin; D014635:Valproic Acid