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Single early dose of ethanol causes acute morphological defects in the chick embryo: A study of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Jessica Zagory Dave Lawrence and Kate Yoder |
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Introduction |
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is caused
by exposure of the developing embryo to alcohol, one of
several teratogenic agents which adversely affect the
developing embryo. FAS is one of the most common birth
defects in the Western world, specifically characterized by
growth and mental retardation, craniofacial malformations,
and heart and neural defects (Gilbert, 1997; Cartwright and
Smith, 1995; Smith, 1997; Sulik et al., 1988).
Ethanol exposure is estimated to severely affect 1 in 1000
human births and to have lesser or associated effects in 3-4
in 1000 human births (Sulik et al., 1988). It has
been demonstrated that the effects of FAS in mouse and chick
models are comparable to those in humans, and these
organisms serve as valuable mechanistic models to examine
the effects of teratogents such as alcohol on tissue
development (Cartwright and Smith, 1995 and Sulik et
al., 1988). Studies using non-human models, such as the
chick, can be used to help promote the understanding and
future treatment of this preventable condition. |
Last Modified: 10 May 2004
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