RESUMO
In the past decade in vitro tests have been developed that represent a range of anatomic structure from perfused whole organs to subcellular fractions. To assess the use of in vitro tests for toxicity testing, we describe and evaluate the current status of organotypic cultures for the major target organs of toxic agents. This includes liver, kidney, neural tissue, the hematopoietic system, the immune system, reproductive organs, and the endocrine system. The second part of this report reviews the application of in vitro culture systems to organ specific toxicity and evaluates the application of these systems both in industry for safety assessment and in government for regulatory purposes. Members of the working group (WG) felt that access to high-quality human material is essential for better use of in vitro organ and tissue cultures in the risk assessment process. Therefore, research should focus on improving culture techniques that will allow better preservation of human material. The WG felt that it is also important to develop and make available relevant reference compounds for toxicity assessment in each organ system, to organize and make available via the Internet complete in vivo toxicity data, including human data, containing dose, end points, and toxicokinetics. The WG also recommended that research should be supported to identify and to validate biological end points for target organ toxicity to be used in alternative toxicity testing strategies.
Assuntos
Alternativas aos Testes com Animais , Bem-Estar do Animal , Técnicas de Cultura/métodos , Técnicas de Cultura de Órgãos/métodos , Testes de Toxicidade/métodos , Animais , Humanos , Saúde Pública , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Pesquisa/tendênciasRESUMO
A series of 521 cases of CSM in 22 clinics in Spain and Portugal were studied. The severity of the clinical picture, both before and after the operations, was graded following a six point scale (a modification of Nurick's). The operations the patients underwent were classified into eight types and their results expressed by using the same scale. Some improvement has been attained in all grades of myelopathy with all types of operations, but better results, especially in advanced cases, have been obtained when surgical fixation of the spine, as well as laminectomy, has been carried out.
