Epithelial alterations in fetal tracheal explants of Syrian golden hamsters exposed to diethylnitrosamine in utero.

The fetal tracheae (13th--15th day of gestation) of Syrian golden hamsters exposed in utero to diethylnitrosamine (DEN: 200--400mg/kg body wt.) were divided into cranial and caudal halves. Both sections were then organ-cultured for 4--6 weeks. The cranial explants developed 1.5 times as many epithelial tracheal lining alterations as the caudal explants. These changes were found 25--42 days after the beginning of explant culture and histologically demonstrated hyperplasia, metaplasia and dysplasia. No alterations occurred in the control explants.