Reproductive toxicology of environmental toxicants: emerging issues and concerns.
Environmental toxicants comprise a number of man-made organic chemicals which may resist metabolism or their metabolites may persist in the environment and accumulate in the food chain. Some of these persistent chemicals are carried over long distances via the atmospheric transport and can have biological effects in fish, wildlife and humans. In this review the relationship between structure of these chemicals, their mode of action and their possible roles in adverse developmental and reproductive processes in humans will be discussed. The focus will be on model polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins, organochlorines, phthalates, a constituent of cigarette smoke (benzo-a-pyrene), synthetic polymers (polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polyfluorinated compounds), and a fungicide (vinclozolin).
Younglai
E V
EV
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Division, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8N 3Z5. younglai@mcmaster.ca
Wu
Y J
YJ
Foster
W G
WG
D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls