The Teratogenic Effect of the Steroid Nucleus in the Rat

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Abstract
A variety of substances have produced oral cleft anomalies in various laboratory animals. The use of steroid hromones was extensive in experimental cleft palate research. The object of this study was to observe whether cleft palate can be induced in rats by injection of a hormonally inactive steroid cholesterol. To study this, gross and histological observations were made of the heads of our experimental animals. Injections of cholesterol administered subcutaneously from the 8th to 14th day of pregnancy caused the average number of pups /litter to decrease and produced palatal abnormalities in a high percentage (56.8%) of animals treated. A corresponding increase in adrenal weight and decrease in body weight was noted in the group injected with cholesterol. Histological study confirmed the gross observations of cleft palate on the offspring. It was observed that in some cases there appeared to be an epithelial bridge between the palatine shelves while in others there was a deficiency of tissue.