Biological markers of male reproductive toxicology.

Biological markers of male reproductive toxicology.

Reproduction is a complex, stepwise series of processes that begins with gametogenesis, continues through gamete interaction, implantation, embryonic development, growth, parturition, and postnatal adaptation, and is completed with the development and sexual maturation of the newly formed organism. These reproductive processes do not take place in a chemically pristine environment, but rather i...

Biological assessments in female reproductive toxicology.

There are many components to reproductive health, including the development and maintenance of the reproductive tract; mature sexual appearance and behavior; adequate numbers of sound, viable germ cells; and a balanced neuroendocrine system. Thus, the range of processes for which biological markers might be developed is quite broad. In shaping a research program on markers, there are several di...

The use of rabbits in male reproductive toxicology.

The rabbit is the smallest and least expensive laboratory animal in which serial semen samples can be obtained for morphologic, biochemical, and fertility evaluation. The female rabbit has a predictable reproductive cycle and can be artificially inseminated with a known amount of sperm during fertility testing. These advantages make the rabbit an extremely valuable model for studying the effect...

Male reproductive toxicology: comparison of the human to animal models.

The human male is of relatively low fertility and thus may be at greater risk from reproductive toxicants than are males of the common laboratory animal model species. Lack of knowledge of the physiological differences that contribute to interspecies variation between man and animals can prevent the effective application of animal data to the assessment of human reproductive risk. Evaluation of...

Reproductive toxicology.