Embryonic limb bud organ culture in assessment of teratogenicity of environmental agents.

The limb bud organ culture system offers a variety of endpoints which may be monitored in the screening process. These are: cell proliferation, differential growth, morphogenetic cell death, size and shape of limb parts, chondrogenesis, collagen or proteoglycan biosynthesis, etc. Essentials of the system including various parameters of normal limb bud development in vitro are described. These parameters serve to gauge the effects of test chemicals with unknown hazard potential. Validation has been carried out only to a limited extent. Further, it needs to be combined with an efficient drug metabolizing preparation before it can achieve its full potential as a short-term screening system.