Rat Embryo Tissue Section
Featured in this section is a three-dimensional reconstruction of rat embryo tissue at 19 days stained with Alexa Fluor 350 (wheat germ agglutinin; highlighting lectins), Alexa Fluor 568 (phalloidin; labeling actin filaments), and SYTOX Green (nuclei). In female humans and in animal models, consumption of ethanol during pregnancy leads to an array of fetal defects collectively named fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The deficiency most constantly observed in newborns exposed to ethanol is growth retardation. Rat models with high blood alcohol levels have demonstrated a considerable increase in anomalous embryo morphology. Furthermore, female rats that received a high dose of ethanol had significantly lower uterine weights and a smaller number of copora lutea per ovary, suggesting that merely one dose of ethanol has a damaging effect on reproductive ability.