title: Simple assay method for endocrine disrupters by in vitro quail embryo culture: nonylphenol acts as a weak estrogen in quail embryos.
abstract: Many chemicals that are not structurally related to estrogen have estrogen-like activity. In this study, we tried to apply a quail embryo culture system for assessing the in vivo effects of such chemicals on the development of quail embryos. Beta-estradiol induced feminization of the gonads of genetically male embryos, which was confirmed by the increase in the size of the left gonad and female-specific aromatase expression, while male-specific SOX9 expression was not affected. Nonylphenol, which has a weak estrogenic activity, reduced the viability and body weight of embryos. Simultaneously, several genetically male embryos were feminized in terms of gonadal size and aromatase expression. These results indicate that the avian embryo culture system was useful for evaluating endocrine disrupters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology Graduate School o fEngineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan. nishijma@proc.nubio.nagoya-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ken-Ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishijima
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Esaka
authors.forename: Hisayo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibuki
authors.forename: Ken-Ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Katsuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamihira
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iijima