Table 8.

Fetal skeletal examination results of TiO₂ nanoparticles exposed pregnant females during the pregnancy

	TiO2 nanoparticles (mg/kg)
	0	100	300	1000
Fetal Skeletal Examination
No. of litters examined	12	12	12	12
No. of fetuses examined	77	88	83	79
Malformation
No. of affected litters (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
No. of affected fetuses (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Variation
Ribs, Full thoracic supernumerary rib
No. of affected litters (%)	0 (0)	2 (17)	0 (0)	0 (0)
No. of affected fetuses (%)	0 (0)	2 (2)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Ribs, Short thoracic supernumerary rib
No. of affected litters (%)	2 (17)	4 (33)	3 (25)	2 (17)
No. of affected fetuses (%)	5 (6)	9 (10)	4 (5)	2 (2)
Skull, Large fontanelle
No. of affected litters (%)	3 (25)	2 (17)	0 (0)	0 (0)
No. of affected fetuses (%)	4 (5)	2 (2)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Thoracic centrum, Asymmetric ossification
No. of affected litters (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (8)	0 (0)
No. of affected fetuses (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (1)	0 (0)
Thoracic centrum, Bipartite ossification
No. of affected litters (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (8)	2 (17)
No. of affected fetuses (%)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (2)	3 (4)
Thoracic centrum, Dumbbell ossification
No. of affected litters (%)	2 (17)	1 (8)	0 (8)	2 (17)
No. of affected fetuses (%)	3 (3)	1 (1)	0 (0)	2 (3)
No. of ossification centers
Sternebra	5.9 ± 0.18a	5.9 ± 0.20	6.0 ± 0.08	5.8 ± 0.30
Metacarpals in both forelimbs	7.8 ± 0.38	8.0 ± 0.14	8.0 ± 0.12	7.9 ± 0.12
1st phalanges in both forelimbs	1.8 ± 1.39	2.7 ± 1.20	2.1 ± 1.12	2.6 ± 1.12
Metatarsals in both hindlimbs	8.0 ± 0.09	8.3 ± 0.38**	8.0 ± 0.09	8.0 ± 0.03
1st phalanges in both hindlimbs	0.2 ± 0.58	0.1 ± 0.20	0.0 ± 0.06	0.0 ± 0.00
Cervical vertebra	1.3 ± 1.29	1.3 ± 1.00	1.4 ± 1.23	0.9 ± 0.86
Sacral and caudal vertebra	8.5 ± 0.45	8.7 ± 0.49	8.5 ± 0.50	8.5 ± 0.34

^aValues are presented as mean ± S.D

^**Significant difference at p < 0.01 level compared with the control group