EFFECT OF 20-METHYLCHOLANTHRENE ON MOUSE EMBRYOS. II. STRAIN C3H (JAX)

Abstract
Injection of a microquantity of 20-methylcholanthrene has been made into the fluids of 10-day-old embryos of mice of the C3H (Jax) strain. The treatment resulted in increased prenatal mortality of the embryos and many of the surviving young also showed morphological abnormalities. Examination of the young at weaning age revealed certain deformities and pathological conditions. The relation of some of the abnormalities to naturally occurring mutations is significant. An additional observation was the occurrence of similar abnormalities in the litters born after the treated litter. Since the abnormalities in the present study resemble the ones observed in a similar investigation conducted earlier, as well as the ones caused by irradiation and other teratogenic agents, it is proposed that the mode of action of the carcinogen might also be the same.