Caffeine induces in vivo premature appearance of telencephalic vesicles

Caffeine administered to pregnant mice during germinative neuroepithelium p reparation (embryonic days 8-10) dramatically accelerated primitive neuroep ithelium evagination into telencephalic vesicles, versus age-matched contro ls. This histologically-documented, dose-dependent effect seemed reversible during subsequent neuronal migration if caffeine exposure was discontinued . Our in vivo model provides a new tool for studying telencephalic symmetry acquisition and for identifying genes potentially involved in holoprosence phaly, a developmental disorder characterized by defective telencephalic ve sicle formation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.