Figure 2

Effects of F0 dam exposure to BaP on germ cell and follicle numbers in gonads of F3 offspring (Experiment 1). Pregnant F0 OG2 females were exposed to 0, 0.033, 0.2, or 2 mg/kg-day BaP from E6.5–15.5. F3 embryonic gonads were collected at E13.5 and F3 ovaries were collected at PND21 for germ cell and follicle counts, respectively. Graphs show estimated marginal means ± SEM of total number of germ cells or follicles per gonad from GEE models. Dots represent values for individual embryos. (A) The number of germ cells was significantly decreased in the F3 E13.5 ovaries (A; *P < 0.001, beta for BaP dose = 0 mg/kg compared to other doses, GEE), but not in the F3 E13.5 testes (B) of mice descended from BaP-exposed compared to control F0 dams. The numbers of primordial (C; *P < 0.001, beta for BaP dose = 0 mg/kg compared to other doses, GEE), primary (D; *P = 0.021, beta for BaP dose = 0 mg/kg compared to other doses, GEE), secondary (E; *P = 0.004, beta for BaP dose = 0 mg/kg compared to other doses, GEE), and healthy antral (F; *P < 0.001, beta for BaP dose = 0 mg/kg compared to other doses, GEE) follicles were significantly decreased in F3 PND21 ovaries of mice descended from BaP-exposed compared to control F0 dams (P < 0.03, effect of BaP dose, GEE), while atretic antral follicle numbers were not significantly decreased (G). N = 4–7 F3 PND21 females derived from 3 to 5 F0 dams per group.