In vitro toxicology methods: impact on regulation from technical and scientific advancements

The impressive advancement of technologies in biomedical research, and particularly in the area of in vitro experimental models, has opened up new possibilities related to co-cultures, micromass or stem cell cultures. Engineered cells to study specific targets and/or mechanisms are also available. Moreover, a very subtle approach in the study of toxicological effects is represented by the very recent genomics and proteomics techniques. New mechanistically based methods could be established from all these approaches, which, once validated, could enter the regulatory procedure. So far, in toxicology, only a few in vitro tests are accepted for regulatory purposes, such as those related to corrosion, phototoxicity and absorption. Many others are in the pre-validation or validation phase. An area where in vitro tests play a key role is the genetic toxicology. In this context, the most recent testing strategies and test methods will be presented, with particular attention to the recently updated guidelines for food additives by the EU Scientific Committee on Food. An improvement in the implementation of validated methods could arise from a better coordination on the matter at national and international levels, the harmonisation of different legislations, and a strict control of the national rules in order to make them up-to-date with respect to validated methods. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.