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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10090/3784

Title: Ethanol as a teratogen and zebrafish development: relation to fetal alcohol syndrome
Authors: Webster, Lindsey
Issue Date: 18-Jan-2008
Abstract: Neural crest cells are precursors to craniofacial elements in vertebrates. In humans, multiple defects, including neurological, behavioral and morphological abnormalities have been characterized in children born to chronic alcohol drinkers. Some of these Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) related defects have been observed in other vertebrates exposed to ethanol during development. The goal of this project is to determine how ethanol exposure affects development of zebrafish neural crest derivatives. With increasing exposure to ethanol, it was suspected that zebrafish embryos would have more severe craniofacial abnormalities due to abnormal neural crest cell migration, differentiation, or cell death. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to varying concentrations of ethanol from approximately 30% epiboly until 24 hours post fertilization and development was monitored. Embryos were stained with alcian blue to observe facial cartilage after six days of development. Cartilage length and interocular distance were measured. Moderate ethanol exposure resulted in increased interocular distance while higher ethanol concentrations led to a reduction in this distance. As ethanol dose increased, the length of cartilage elements decreased. These defects are consistent with some pathologies associated with FAS and may be due to abnormal crest development.
Description: A thesis submitted to the Department of Biology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science. Spring Semester 2007 Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Brown
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10090/3784
Appears in Collections:Washington College Biology Senior Capstone Experience

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