Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are compounds used in various industrial products,\ndrugs, and cosmetics. They can be found in the environment and disturb the endocrine and\nreproductive systems, resulting in adverse effects to humans and wildlife such as birth\ndefects and developmental disorders. Since several EDs have a structure similar to that of\nendogenous steroid hormones such as estrogens, they intend to have an affinity for steroid\nhormone receptors and alter hormone-mediated metabolism by binding to these receptors.\nEDs are therefore a global concern and assays should be developed to efficiently determine\nwhether these compounds are detrimental to biological systems. Diverse experimental\nmethods may help determine the endocrine disrupting potential of EDs and evaluate the\nadverse effects of a single and/or combination of these reagents. Currently, biomarkers\nhave been employed to objectively measure EDs potency and understand the underlying\nmechanisms. Further studies are required to develop ideal screening methods and\nbiomarkers to determine EDs potency at environmentally relevant concentrations. In this\nreview, we describe the biomarkers for estrogenicity of EDs identified both in vitro and\nin vivo, and introduce a biomarker, cabindin-D9k (CaBP-9k), that may be used to assess\nestrogenic activity of EDs.
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