Antiteratogenic Effects of 𝜷-Carotene in Cultured Mouse Embryos Exposed to Nicotine

Table 2

Summary of morphological changes in cultured mouse embryos exposed to 1 mM nicotine in the presence or absence of 1 × 10⁻⁷ or 5 × 10⁻⁷ µM β-carotene (β-car).

Chemical (dose)	Con	N	N + β-car (1 × 10^−7)	N + β-car (5 × 10^−7)
Number of embryos	33	33	34	31
Yolk sac diameter (mm)	3.5 ± 0.30	2.4 ± 0.29^a	3.0 ± 0.32^b	2.9 ± 0.21^b
Yolk sac circulation	4.3 ± 0.37	3.6 ± 0.64^a	4.0 ± 0.26	3.9 ± 0.23^b
Allantois	2.3 ± 0.44	1.6 ± 0.26^a	1.9 ± 0.19^b	2.0 ± 0.15^b
Flexion	4.9 ± 0.12	3.2 ± 1.00^a	4.7 ± 0.76^b	4.9 ± 0.19^b
Crown-rump length (mm)	3.0 ± 0.29	2.1 ± 0.29^a	2.6 ± 0.22^b	2.4 ± 0.25^b
Head length (mm)	1.5 ± 0.21	0.9 ± 0.18^a	1.3 ± 0.17^b	1.2 ± 0.14^b
Heart	4.8 ± 0.33	3.4 ± 0.55^a	4.5 ± 0.36^b	4.3 ± 0.35^b
Hindbrain	4.7 ± 0.29	2.9 ± 0.60^a	4.2 ± 0.29^b	4.2 ± 0.20^b
Midbrain	4.9 ± 0.19	2.9 ± 0.57^a	4.2 ± 0.23^b	4.2 ± 0.24^b
Forebrain	5.8 ± 0.33	3.0 ± 0.56^a	4.4 ± 0.33^b	4.3 ± 0.36^b
Otic system	4.9 ± 0.17	3.0 ± 0.58^a	4.3 ± 0.25^b	4.4 ± 0.33^b
Optic system	5.0 ± 0.09	2.9 ± 0.57^a	4.3 ± 0.24^b	4.4 ± 0.30^b
Branchial bars	3.7 ± 0.31	2.2 ± 0.38^a	3.1 ± 0.36^b	3.2 ± 0.38^b
Maxillary process	2.9 ± 0.25	1.3 ± 0.41^a	2.1 ± 0.25^b	2.2 ± 0.45^b
Mandibular process	2.8 ± 0.34	1.3 ± 0.39^a	2.0 ± 0.30^b	2.1 ± 0.39^b
Olfactory system	2.8 ± 0.30	0.4 ± 0.50^a	1.8 ± 0.40^b	1.7 ± 0.56^b
Caudal neural tube	5.0 ± 0.00	4.6 ± 0.72	5.0 ± 0.00	5.0 ± 0.00^b
Fore limb	2.8 ± 0.21	1.7 ± 0.45^a	2.6 ± 0.39^b	2.7 ± 0.39^b
Hind limb	1.2 ± 0.63	0.0 ± 0.00^a	0.6 ± 0.45^b	0.7 ± 0.52^b
Somites	4.0 ± 0.00	3.5 ± 0.51^a	4.0 ± 0.00^b	4.0 ± 0.00^b
Total score	75.0 ± 0.46	48.4 ± 0.81^a	61.6 ± 0.54^b	62.4 ± 0.72^b

Each value represents the mean ± SEM.
^aVersus normal control (Con) group at 𝑃< 0.05.
^bVersus nicotine alone (N) group at 𝑃< 0.05.