True or false? If a teratogen is introduced after a particular organ has formed, it may not have much of an effect on the structure of that particular organ.

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Consider the statement: If a teratogen is introduced after a particular organ has formed, it may not have much of an effect on the structure of that particular organ. 
Option 1: True. The logic here is that teratogens exert the most harm during the critical periods of organ development when cells are differentiating and organs are forming. Once an organ has completed its major developmental events, late exposure may have reduced or different effects, often impacting function rather than gross structure, though exceptions exist.
Option 2: False. This would imply that later exposure cannot affect organ structure at all, which is too absolute. There are cases where teratogens encountered after organ formation can still alter tissue integrity, lead to subtle anomalies, or influence function and later susceptibility, so the statement as a universal claim is not accurate.
Option 3: There is a nuance here: the severity and type of effect depend on the timing, dosage, and specific organ, so a blanket true/false label oversimplifies. Indeed, some organs are already formed and closed off, reducing structural disruption, while others may still be vulnerable.
Option 4: One might argue the interplay between developmental timing and teratogenic exposure is complex; while many structural malformations arise during formation, post-formation exposure can still have meaningful consequences, making a definitive false claim questionable.
In summary, the statement captures a general principle—that major structural defects are more likely if exposure occurs during organogenesis—but it overlooks exceptions where later exposure can still impact structure or function. The reasoning hinges on the idea of critical periods and the varied nature of teratogenic effects across organs and developmental stages.

True or false? If a teratogen is introduced after a particular organ has formed, it may not have much of an effect on the structure of that particular organ.

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