Optimization of an exogenous metabolic activation system for FETAX. II. Preliminary evaluation.

The developmental toxicities of five test compounds including carbon tetrachloride, urethane, phenacetin, parathion, and chloroform, were evaluated using Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay--Xenopus (FETAX), with minor modification. Post-isolation mixtures of differently-induced rat liver microsomes (phenobarbital- (PB), beta-naphthoflavone- (beta-NF), and isoniazid- (INH)-induced preparations) were co-cultured directly with X. laevis embryos. Results from these studies suggest that the Aroclor 1254-induced MAS could effectively be replaced by a mixed lot of PB-, beta-NF-, and INH-induced rat liver microsomes. Each of the test materials were found to be developmentally toxic when bioactivated by the mixed MAS.