Teratogen
Teratogen - Related Videos
01:07
Teratogenicity
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2023
The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
07:29
Zebrafish as a Model to Assess the Teratogenic Potential of Nitrite
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Cited by 17 •
2016
Exposure to teratogens may cause birth defects. Zebrafish are useful for determining the teratogenic potential of chemicals. We demonstrate the utility of zebrafish by exposing embryos to various levels of nitrite and also at different times of exposure. We show that nitrite can be toxic and cause severe developmental defects.
10:07
Assessing Teratogenic Changes in a Zebrafish Model of Fetal Alcohol Exposure
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Cited by 34 •
2012
In order to understand the molecular mechanisms of the ethanol-induced developmental damage, we have developed a zebrafish model of ethanol exposure and are exploring the physical, cellular, and genetic alterations that occur after ethanol exposure1. We then seek to find potential interventions and rapidly test them in this animal model.
03:59
Bromodeoxyuridine Pulse Labelling Assay: A Technique to Measure Cell Proliferation
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2023
The video describes the stepwise pulse labeling assay of mammalian cells with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) for measuring cell proliferation. The BrdU uptake permits the temporal tracking of cells that were in the synthesis phase at a specific point in time, without requiring the cells to be synchronized.
04:58
Method of Studying Palatal Fusion using Static Organ Culture
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Cited by 6 •
2015
Studies of palate development are motivated by the incidence of cleft palate, a birth defect that imposes a tremendous health burden and can leave lasting disfigurement. We demonstrate here a technique to culture palatal shelves that can be used to study different signaling pathways involved in palatal development and fusion.
FAQs
Timing and dose strongly shape the developmental outcome of teratogen exposure. Contact during a critical period may disrupt organ formation, whereas the same exposure at another stage may produce a different result. Increasing dose can also alter risk, but interpretation requires considering placental transfer, maternal metabolism, and fetal susceptibility rather than treating exposure as uniformly harmful.
Placental transfer determines whether a maternal exposure can reach the developing embryo or fetus, while maternal metabolism can change the amount or form available for transfer. Fetal susceptibility adds another layer of variability, so pharmacologic risk assessment must consider the movement and processing of a compound, not only the parent drug’s presence in maternal treatment.
Developmental injury can arise when exposure interferes with cell signaling or tissue differentiation, processes needed for organized growth. Disruption during organ formation may lead to congenital abnormalities, while interference with growth-related development may contribute to impaired growth. These mechanisms explain why developmental outcomes depend on both the biological process affected and the stage at which exposure occurs.
To evaluate a suspected teratogen in pharmacology, researchers examine exposure timing, dose, placental transfer, maternal metabolism, and fetal susceptibility together. They then relate these factors to possible effects on organ formation, growth, cell signaling, or tissue differentiation. This structured assessment supports reproductive safety research and helps characterize developmental risks more accurately than a simple label of danger.
When counseling before or during pregnancy, clinicians use teratogen information to discuss potential developmental risks alongside the mother’s therapeutic needs. The goal is not to consider fetal risk in isolation, but to support safer treatment strategies based on exposure conditions and susceptibility. This context helps patients and clinicians make informed medication decisions.
Teratogen research is relevant to pharmacology because it informs medication risk assessment and the design of safer treatment strategies. Investigators can use developmental outcomes, together with exposure conditions, to identify hazardous compounds and guide reproductive safety work. The resulting evidence helps balance maternal therapeutic needs with potential risks to embryonic or fetal development.