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#endocrine disruption

2 public questions tagged with this topic.

Teratogens

Atrazine affects sex determination by elevating:

Atrazine is chlorotriazine herbicide widely applied to corn crops known to impair male reproductive development in amphibians. Mechanism involves induction of cytochrome P450 aromatase enzyme encoded by CYP19A1 converting androgens testosterone and androstenedione to estrogens estradiol and estrone in developing gonad. Elevated local estrogen feminizes testis, causes testicular oocytes, skewed sex ratios and reduced testosterone. Transcriptional upregulation via orphan nuclear receptor SF-1 increases aromatase promoter activity. This shift in steroidogenesis toward estrogen synthesis disrupts

Ref: Gilbert, Developmental Biology, 12th ed., Chapter 20: Atrazine elevates estrogen via aromatase.

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Applied Ecology

Which pollutants are associated with endocrine disruption?

PCBs and environmental estrogens can disrupt endocrine function. Estrogens directly activate estrogen receptors, whereas PCB congeners or their metabolites may mimic hormones, antagonise receptors, or alter hormone synthesis, transport, and metabolism. The outcomes include changed development, reproduction, sex differentiation, and fertility. Carbon dioxide and methane primarily affect climate, while nitrate and phosphate are chiefly associated with nutrient enrichment rather than this specific toxic mechanism. Community-level consequences can emerge when physiological injury changes survival,

Ref: Campbell Biology, Urry et al., 12th Ed., Unit 8 Ecology

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