Meeting Abstract

P3.93  Jan. 6  The effects of PBDE 209 on laryngeal structures in Xenopus tropicalis GANSER, L.R.; University of Miami ganser@bio.miami.edu

The brominated flame retardant, PBDE 209, serves as an additive in plastic electronic casings as well as in clothing and upholstery. This chemical and other brominated flame retardants have been found in human tissues, including umbilical cord blood and breast milk. Purported effects of PBDE 209 include developmental neurotoxic and neurobehavioral symptoms, as well as endocrine disruption in both developing and adult mice. Xenopus tropicalis larvae and adults were exposed to concentrations of PBDE 209 (0, 3, 30, 3000 ppb) to test for possible organizational and activational effects. Central and peripheral laryngeal motor structures were analyzed for both morphological and functional changes. Specific endpoints include, changes in the number of somae in the laryngeal motor nucleus, and changes in the electrophysiological properties of the laryngeal nerve and laryngeal dilator muscles. Neuroanatomical changes were quantified using EZ-C1 software for confocal microscopy. Functional anomalies in peripheral structures were monitored with electrophysiological recording techniques.