1.Develop
toads as an alternative model for the effects of
endocrine disruptors on sex differentiation.
2.
2.Augment
results of Hayes et al. (2002) to include brain
sexual differentiation.
In order to completely
assess the effects of atrazine on the development of the reproductive organs
of these toads, I will have to
1.Be able to describe the neuroanatomy of both the Oak Toad and the
Marine Toad
2.I must be able to use special staining methods to identify sexually
different areas of the brain
3.With this information, I will be able to pinpoint the timing of sexual
differentiation Ðthe time when the brain is distinctly male or femaleÑof the
brain of these two species.I
will also determine the timing of sexual differentiation of the gonads.
4.Finally, I will treat animals with atrazine and asses the possible
effects on the sexual differentiation of both the brain and the gonads.
