Embryos were exposed for 96h to a range of concentrations of each herbicide to determine lethal and sub-lethal effects on apical (e.g. malformations, hatching) and biochemical parameters (cholinesterase, ChE; catalase, CAT; glutathione S-transferase, GST; lipid peroxidation, LPO and lactate dehydrogenase, LDH).
Oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), which is detoxified by catalase, are implicated in fetal death and birth defects.
The catalase transgenic mice were viable, had no change in basal hydrogen peroxide release (0.36+/-0.03 versus 0.37+/-0.14 micromol/L), and showed no overt developmental abnormality.