Mouse model for thoracic congenital scoliosis

This study sought to produce a dose-response curve for acute and chronic ma ternal carbon monoxide (CO) exposure versus vertebral anomalies in mouse of fspring and to determine the critical day of exposure. In Part I, pregnant CD-1 mice were exposed to an acute dose of CO at 9 days of gestation. A pos itive dose-response relationship of acute maternal CO exposure and vertebra l anomalies in the offspring was produced. In Part II, pregnant females wer e exposed to chronic CO for the first 11 days of gestation. Chronic exposur e to CO did not produce significant vertebral anomalies. In Part III, pregn ant females were exposed to an acute dose of 600 ppm of CO at gestation day 8, 9, or 10. Day 9 in this mouse breed is the critical day for maternal ex posure to CO. The detected anomalies were predominately in the thoracic spi ne.