Mice homozygous for the mutation normoblastosis (gene symbol nb on chromosome 8) are deficient in erythroid ankyrin (ANK-1) and have a severe hemolytic anemia throughout life. Characteristic of the disease is a dramatic decrease in the level of expression of the Ank-1 gene (chromosome 8). The other major ankyrin transcript, brain ankyrin (Ank-2 on chromosome 3) is expressed at normal levels in ...

introduction: prenatal stress has deleterious effects on the development of the brain and is associated with behavioral and psychosocial problems in childhood and adulthood. this study aimed to determine the protective effect of l-arginine on fetal brain under maternal stress. methods: twenty pregnant wistar rats (weighting 200-230 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=5 for each group). th...

Although nanoscale titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) has been extensively used in industrial food applications and daily products for pregnant women, infants, and children, its potential toxicity on fetal development has been rarely studied. The main objective of this investigation was to establish the effects of maternal exposure of nano-TiO2 on developing embryos. Female imprinting control region ...

OBJECT Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a primary neurulation defect that is associated with devastating neurological disabilities in affected newborns. To better characterize the in utero neurodegenerative process of MMC, the authors investigated the changes in vascular organization, apoptosis, and the presence of inflammatory cells during gestation by using a mutant mouse model of MMC. METHODS The...

OBJECTIVE To determine the adverse effects of passive tobacco smoking on fertility of female mice and the preventive role of antioxidants, if any. STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Anatomy Department, CPSP Regional Centre, Islamabad, from February to July 2005. METHODOLOGY One hundred and seventeen female mice (Balb C) were selected by random sampling. ...

Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) is a widely spread environmental contaminant. It accumulates in the brain and has potential neurotoxin effects. Due to chemical properties, PFOS shows persistency in the environment and therefore has potential hazardous effect. The risk of possible intra uterine exposure to PFOS poses a health concern for developmental effects. The goal of this study was survey o...

It was recently shown that naturally occurring Mdr1a mutant fetuses of the CF-1 outbred mouse stock have no placental Mdr1a P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and that this absence is associated with increased sensitivity to avermectin, a teratogenic pesticide. To further define the role of placental drug-transporting P-gp in toxicological protection of the fetus, we used mice with a targeted disruption of ...

Birds and reptiles always carry a long and thick artery accompanying the sciatic nerve (i.e., the sciatic artery), whereas mammals do not. We attempted to demonstrate a difference in courses of the nerve and artery in fetuses in relation with the hip joint posture. Eight mid-term human fetuses (15-18 weeks), five mouse fetuses (E18) and five chick embryos (11 days after incubation) were examine...

Numerous congenital malformations have been observed in fetuses of vitamin A-deficient (VAD) dams [Wilson, J. G., Roth, C. B., Warkany, J., (1953), Am. J. Anat. 92, 189-217]. Previous studies of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) mutant mice have not revealed any of these malformations [Li, E., Sucov, H. M., Lee, K.-F., Evans, R. M., Jaenisch, R. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 1590-1594; Lohne...