[Molecular mechanism of cleft palate induced by retinoic acid].

Objective: To explore the molecular mechanism of cleft palate induced by chemicals.

Methods: Retinoic acid was used as a known teratogen to induce cleft palate in ICR mice and a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique was applied to identify differentially expressed genes that related to cleft palate of ICR mice.

Results: 14 reverse differently and 9 forward differentially expressed clones were obtained.

[Study on toxic effects of toluene on primary cultured hippocampus neurons].

Objective: Study the cytotoxicity of toluene and its mechanism, the hippocampus neurons were primarily cultured and were exposed to toluene in vitro.

Methods: The neurons from newborn SD rat's hippocampus were primarily cultured for two weeks, then administered with toluene (3, 6, 9 mmol/L), with blank control group and excipient group being also set up. 24 hours later, Morphology and viability of the cells, the LDH activity, [Ca2+]i, and cell apoptosis were examined.

[Effect of 5 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on estrogen receptor binding in rats].

The estrogenic activity of 5 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) of rat uterine wet weight bioassy and estrogen receptor binding bioassy are determined. The results show that penzo(a)pyrene, 7,12-dimethyl benz(a)anthracene and pentacene could statistically increase uterine wet weight of immature female rats(P < 0.01 or P < 0.