| Abstract: | In recent years, there has been increasing concern as to the potential health effects of polyhalogenated and/or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, since these environmental xenobiotics have been associated with reproductive dysfunction in a variety of wildlife. Studies are described here on the development of molecular biological parameters for: (i) the investigation of toxic mechanisms of environmental xenobiotics at sublethal levels; and (ii) the screening of any other toxic chemical pollutants in the aquatic ecosystems. Through molecular cloning, cDNA of estrogen-responsive genes and growth hormone gene of rainbow trout have been isolated. In appropriate rainbow trout primary or established cell culture systems, these cDNA clones can be used as molecular probes for the elucidation of molecular toxic mechanisms of environmental xenobiotics. |
