TERATOGENIC EFFECTS OF ETHANOL IN THE QUACKENBUSH-SPECIAL-MOUSE

The intragastric exposure of QS mice to alcohol both under short-term (6-day period) (3.0 g/kg, but not 1.5 g/kg, body weight/day through ge station day (GD) 7 to GD 12) and long-term (chronic) (15% ethanol in d rinking water beginning several weeks before mating and continuing int o pregnancy) conditions reduced the weight, size, and protein content of GD 12 embryos, and the weight of GD 18 embryos. The incidence of br achydactyly with delayed ossification was also significantly greater i n embryos chronically exposed to alcohol than in controls (45% vs. 6.7 %). The short-term and long-term exposure regimens produced incidences of only 1% and 5.8%, respectively, of forelimb ectrodactyly in GD 18 embryos. It was concluded that alcohol exerts embryo growth retarding effects in pregnant QS mice without inducing a high incidence of skele tal defects. Thus, the QS mouse could serve as an excellent model to r esolve the mechanisms whereby alcohol induces pre- and post-natal grow th restrictions during pregnancy.