ABSTRACT
VitaminAandretinoidsareclassicalteratogensinavarietyofspecies.In general,allretinoidstestedinducedaqualitativelysimilarspectrumofmalformations.Theabnormalitiesproduceddependedonthedoseandthestageof developmentduringwhichthedrugswereadministered.Treatmentduringearly organogenesisresultedinanomaliesofthecentralnervousandcardiovascular systems,whereasexposuresslightlylaterresultedindefectsofthelimbs,the genitourinarytract,andthepalate(Sectionmofthischapter).ThehumanexperiencewillbedescribedinSectionUofthischapter,
Unlikethepatternofdefects,thedosesofretinoidsneededtoproducefrank teratogeniceffectsshowdrasticspeciesvariation.Experimentalstudiestoward understandingofsuchdrasticspeciesdifferencesaredescribedinSectionIVof thischapter,particularlywithregardtopharmacokinetics,whichhelpedusto explainandovercomesomeoftheseinterspeciesdifferencesandextrapolatefrom relevantlaboratoryanimalfindingstothehumansituation.
