Fig. 1

Nicotine-induced embryotoxicity at 72 hours post-fertilization (hpf). (A) Hatching/non-hatching embryo findings. The number of embryos showing abnormal morphology tended to be increased in the nicotine-exposed groups (arrow: bending of the trunk). All images were captured at 72 hpf (×32). Scale bar=1,000 μm. (B) Hatching rate, mortality rate, teratogenicity rate, and total abnormal findings (mortality rate+teratogenicity rate) showed statistically significant differences among nicotine concentrations (n=100 per concentration, linear by linear association). Nicotine-exposed groups showed a lower hatching rate and higher mortality and teratogenicity than the control group. The rate of teratogenicity and total abnormal findings increased in a dose-dependent manner (1% in the normal control group, 16% for 5 μM nicotine, 26% for 10 μM nicotine, 37% for 20 μM nicotine, and 53% for 40 μM nicotine; (total n=400). *Statistically significant. All data were evaluated at 72 hpf.