CONGENITAL ANOMALIES IN THE RAT PRODUCED BY EXCESSIVE INTAKE OF VITAMIN A DURING PREGNANCY

[摘要] Excessive intake of vitamin A during pregnancy in the rat results in a marked litter failure. However, when litters are carried to term a variety of gross congenital anomalies are produced which include: encephaly, eye malformations, cleft palate, shortening of the mandible and maxilla, spina bifida with meningocele and hydrocephalus. Of 148 offspring of vitamin A-fed maternal rats, 77 exhibited gross malformations (an anomaly rate of 52%). There were no congenital anomalies observed in 1201 control young.The 7th to 10th day of gestation was found to be the period critically susceptible to the teratogenic effect of vitamin A excess. The stage specificity of various environmental agents and the possible mechanism of action of the teratogenic effect of maternal vitamin A excess are discussed.

[学科分类] 儿科学