CELL CULTURE TEST FOR DETECTION OF TERATOGENIC SUBSTANCES

Edited by, JASPER VICTORIA

Teratogens are substances that are potentially harmful for the developing embryo that may cause miscarriage during pregnancy or developmental, structural or metabolic abnormalities in the foetus after birth. It may be any substances such as alcohol, chemicals, recreational or even certain therapeutic drugs.

A cell culture for the detection of substances that are directly or indirectly teratogenic, has been developed by the scientists of the ETZ Zurich. These tests are to be performed preliminary to the testing of drugs in animals. These tests are done using the cell cultures of the embryonic cell lines of mice. Hence, the teratogenicity would be identified at earlier stages before the actual assessment for safety profile of drugs in animal studies or in  pregnant women.

The cells used for the culture testing are highly simplified so as to provide an environment similar to the uterus, in a petri-dish. Therefore, even the substances which act as indirect teratogens and affect the foetus after interfering the metabolism or placental function in the pregnant women.

The scientists developed a chip with a lot of compartments connected to each other by minute channels. The scientists formed embryoid bodies by combining cells of the human placenta with the embryonic cells of the mice. They are arranged such that the placental cells surround the embryonic cells, such as in the usual arrangement during pregnancy in the female uterus. 

Certain microparticles that do not affect the embryo when in direct contact were introduced to the embryoid bodies. It was observed that the placental cells were affected and they withstood the stress and held back the substances from affecting the embryonic cells.

The researchers are in way developing a cell culture for detection of teratogens and substances that destroy the placenta at an earlier stage and also to reduce the wastage or unwanted death of animals used for animal testing studies of drugs and substances.