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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
Impact of bisphenol-A on early embryonic development and reproductive maturation
Siddharth Ramakrishnan1, Nancy L Wayne
1Department of Physiology, 53-231 Center for Health Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA.
Abstract:
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen and monomer component of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins that are widely used in the production of food and beverage containers. It leaches into our food and drink at concentrations shown to have biological consequences. Here we show that exposure to low levels of BPA accelerated early embryonic development within 24h of exposure, attenuated body growth, and advanced the times of hatching and reproductive maturation in medaka fish (Oryzias latipes). The acceleration in embryonic development and time to hatch were blocked by the thyroid-hormone receptor (TH-R) antagonist amiodarone, suggesting that BPA alters global developmental timing through a thyroid-hormone pathway. Our results are likely to have broad implications regarding the effects of plastic-derived contaminants on embryonic and reproductive development.
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