[Effects of dioxins on the reproduction and development in mammals and the mechanism: up-to-date progress of study].

In the Seveso episode, increase of female offsprings from the parents exposed with dioxins has been demonstrated, although the same has not been seen in Yusho and Yu-cheng patients. However, delay of cognitive development in the children born from Yu-cheng patients has been reported. This has been recently supported by animal studies in which acquirement of cognitive capacity such as working memory and social behavior was examined in rats and monkeys treated in utero with dioxins. In this review, we summarize the prenatal and postnatal effects of dioxins on reproduction and development. In addition, dioxin-induced alteration of gene expression and of the function of estrogen-estrogen receptor system which may play a role in dioxin toxicity is discussed.