Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Toxicity Testing in Animals

Toxicity Testing in Animals

Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...

Teratogenicity

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...

Toxic Reactions: Overview

Toxic Reactions: Overview

When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...

The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements

The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements

Elements are the smallest units of matter that cannot be broken down further by chemical processes. There are 118 known elements, but not all of these are naturally occurring, and only a few of them are essential for life. Living matter is composed primarily of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, with smaller amounts of other elements like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Other elements are also necessary for life but only in trace amounts.
Periodic Table Provides Information...

Types of Toxins

Types of Toxins

Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Comparison of four different in vitro assays for prediction of potential RBC antibody clinical significance.

Transfusion·2026

Same author

Neurodevelopmental disorder-causing GRIN1 Y647S variant alters red blood cell physiology in mice.

Physiological reports·2026

Same author

Recombinant Human IgG1-Hexamer Reduces Pathogenic Autoantibodies in the K/BxN Mouse Model of Arthritis Independent of FcRn.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026

Same author

IgG4 anti-CD47: Erythrophagocytosis and potential transfusion complications.

Transfusion·2026

Same author

A patient with anti-Co<sup>a</sup> having activated monocytes specifically phagocytosing IAT-negative Co(a+) red blood cells.

Transfusion·2025

Same author

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Small Molecule Inhibitors of Immune Cytopenias.

ACS omega·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Published on: June 17, 2015

Gender-selective toxicity of thimerosal.

Donald R Branch¹

¹Departments of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. don.branch@utoronto.ca

Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology : Official Journal of the Gesellschaft Fur Toxikologische Pathologie

|September 6, 2008

Summary

Thimerosal exhibits gender-selective toxicity in mice, with male mice succumbing at lower doses than female mice. This finding suggests future thimerosal toxicity studies should consider sex-specific differences.

More Related Videos

Using Caenorhabditis elegans for Studying Trans- and Multi-Generational Effects of Toxicants

Using Caenorhabditis elegans for Studying Trans- and Multi-Generational Effects of Toxicants

Published on: July 29, 2019

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants

Published on: March 6, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Published on: June 17, 2015

Using Caenorhabditis elegans for Studying Trans- and Multi-Generational Effects of Toxicants

Using Caenorhabditis elegans for Studying Trans- and Multi-Generational Effects of Toxicants

Published on: July 29, 2019

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants

Published on: March 6, 2018

Area of Science:

Toxicology
Neuroscience
Immunology

Background:

A controversial report suggests a link between thimerosal in immunizations and autism development.
Autism prevalence is significantly higher in males than females, indicating potential gender-specific factors.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of thimerosal in male and female CD1 mice.
To investigate potential gender-selective effects of thimerosal toxicity.

Main Methods:

Thimerosal toxicity was assessed in male and female CD1 mice.
Doses ranged from 38.4-76.8 mg/kg, using 10% DMSO as a diluent.
Mortality rates were recorded to determine the MTD.

Main Results:

A significant difference in MTD was observed between male and female mice.
Seven out of seven male mice died at high thimerosal doses, while zero out of seven female mice died.
This indicates a clear gender-selective toxicity of thimerosal.

Conclusions:

Thimerosal demonstrates differential toxicity based on sex in CD1 mice.
These preliminary findings are the first to report gender-selective toxicity of thimerosal.
Future research on thimerosal toxicity must account for sex-specific differences.