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2816635 
Journal Article 
Review 
Xenotransplantation models to study the effects of toxicants on human fetal tissues 
Spade, DJ; Mcdonnell, EV; Heger, NE; Sanders, JA; Saffarini, CM; Gruppuso, PA; De Paepe, ME; Boekelheide, Kim 
2014 
Yes 
Birth Defects Research, Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology
ISSN: 1542-9733
EISSN: 1542-9741 
101 
6 
410-422 
English 
25477288 
WOS:000346705300002 
Many diseases that manifest throughout the lifetime are influenced by factors affecting fetal development. Fetal exposure to xenobiotics, in particular, may influence the development of adult diseases. Established animal models provide systems for characterizing both developmental biology and developmental toxicology. However, animal model systems do not allow researchers to assess the mechanistic effects of toxicants on developing human tissue. Human fetal tissue xenotransplantation models have recently been implemented to provide human-relevant mechanistic data on the many tissue-level functions that may be affected by fetal exposure to toxicants. This review describes the development of human fetal tissue xenotransplant models for testis, prostate, lung, liver, and adipose tissue, aimed at studying the effects of xenobiotics on tissue development, including implications for testicular dysgenesis, prostate disease, lung disease, and metabolic syndrome. The mechanistic data obtained from these models can complement data from epidemiology, traditional animal models, and in vitro studies to quantify the risks of toxicant exposures during human development 
development; xenobiotics; toxicity; xenotransplants