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TOXIC RESPONSES OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Citation:
ArcandHoy, L. D. AND W H. Benson. TOXIC RESPONSES OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM. 2001, Chapter 5, Daniel Schlenk and William H. Benson (ed.), Target Organ Toxicity in Marine and Freshwater Teleosts. Volume 2 - Systems. Taylor & Francis, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, , 175-202.
Description:
Fish reproduction is arguably one of the most sensitive indicators of exposure to environmental chemicals. Reproductive toxicity can simply be referred to as an alteration in reproductive success. It can occur at several developmental stages (larval, juvenile, and adult) with levels of susceptibility varying among species. For the most part, larval fish undergoing gonadal differentiation and growth are highly susceptible to chemical stress. Adults also can pass the effects of chemical exposure to their young via maternal-fetal transfer of environmental chemicals or simply through a reduction in egg quality and number. Egg yolk nutrients that are
essential to the developing embryo can also be altered. With widespread attention given to the endocrine disrupter issue and subsequent reproductive effects, a number of diagnostic tools are currently under development that will aid in identifying reproductive effects that, in turn, can have predictive value with respect to identifying ecologically relevant population-level effects.