Transplacental and direct action of benzo(a)pyrene studied in organ cultures of embryonic lung tissue.

Transplacental effect of benzo(a)pyrene was studied in organ cultures of embryonic lung tissue explanted from mouse donors injected by the carcinogen. Hyperplastic alteration of epithelium, followed by adenomatous changes were seen in embryonic lung tissue cultures from donor mice injected by benzo(a)pyrene. No alteration was seen in control cultures in which the mice were injected by a non-carcinogenic hydrocarbon (pyrene). Besides the blastomogenic action, a growth-promoting effect of the benzo(a)pyrene was observed in the particular organ cultures of the embryonic lung tissue.