The Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology (DART) unit at MPI Research performs the full range of developmental and reproductive toxicology study types utilizing various routes of administration. These include studies that identify drugs, biologics, or chemicals that affect fertility and early embryonic development, prenatal and postnatal development, and maternal function. The expertise of the DART unit in neonatal and juvenile animal developmental neurotoxicity, neurobehavioral testing (including the assessment of motor activity, learning, memory and acoustic startle response), and developmental immunotoxicity is widely recognized.

In addition to its core capabilities, MPI’s DART unit conducts specialty studies that identify chemicals impacting the endocrine system.  These specialized in vivo studies include determining serum hormone levels, estrous cycling, uterotrophic and Hershberger assays, uterine and vaginal histopathology and cell staging of the testes.

With its extensive experience in conducting studies under all regulatory guidelines including those of the EPA and the OECD, the DART unit has identified scores of developmental landmarks, including age at testes descent, vaginal opening and preputial separation.  Maternal necropsies, c-sections, uterine examinations, fetal evaluations, and a full range of neurobehavioral testing are also performed.

DART has the most advanced sperm analysis instrumentation available, the Hamilton Thorne IVOS Analyzer. This provides the latest advances in image processing technology for the automated assessment of sperm motion patterns, including tracking analysis for both rodent and nonrodent species.

Services/Capabilities

• Fertility and early embryonic developmental studies in mice, rats, and dogs
• Prenatal and postnatal development studies, including maternal function in rats and rabbits
• Embryo-fetal development studies in mice, rats, and rabbits and fetal specimen evaluation (external fetal morphology, visceral, and skeletals)
• Toxicokinetic evaluations in reproductive toxicology studies
• Neonatal and juvenile animal studies
• Developmental neurotoxicology and developmental immunotoxicology studies
• In vivo endocrine assessments
• Sperm evaluations (concentration, count, motility, and morphology)
• Neurobehavioral assessments (motor activity, learning, memory, and acoustic startle response)
• Study species: rodent, canine, and nonhuman primates
• Routs of administration: oral (gavage), intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, continuous IV infusion, dermal, intranasal, and intravaginal
• Experience with all classes of compounds, including ethical pharmaceuticals, recombinant proteins and other biotech products, food additives, veterinary products, synthetic organic chemicals, pesticides and petrochemicals

For more detailed information about the developmental and reproductive toxicology services offered by MPI Research, please contact DART@mpiresearch.com or call 269.668.3336, Ext. 1618.

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