Pesticide Toxicology Laboratory

Potential toxic effects on reproductive development of mice fed Bt corn or a nontransgenic conventonal diet were examined. Pregnant mice were fed Bt corn or a conventional diet during gestation and lactation. The weaned young males were also maintained on the respective diets. Individuals were sacrificed and the testes were removed. The percentage of germ cell populations (haploid, diploid, and tetraploid) were monitored by flow cytometry. There were no differences observed between the mice fed Bt corn and the conventional diet. Because the high rate of proliferation makes germ cells especially susceptible, the authors conclude that there was not likely to be an measurable effect at other stages of testicular development.