MolDarT Test

People involved: Jane Muncke, Anja Liedtke, Rik Eggen

Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation, EU-COST

For hazard assessment purposes, where effect screenings need to be carried out, in vitro tests generally are sufficient. However, in some cases more extensive in vivo information is required, including distribution of pollutants in organisms, bioavailability, and metabolism. We have recently developed a molecular effects test system named MolDarT based on the Danio rerio teratogenicity assay (DarT). In principle this test system uses developing zebrafish (Danio rerio) and detects changes in mRNA abundance of selected target genes after sub-acute chemical exposure for up to 5 days. The aim of this test system is to allow multiple effect detection within one single exposure sample.