Micronucleus test for determining genotoxic damage

Abstract

Micronuclei (MN) are formed during mitosis and do not integrate in the main nucleus. They may arise from a whole lagging chromosome or an acentric chromosome fragment. An increase of MN frequency indicates genomic instability. The MN test is commonly used to determine the genotoxic effects of chemical and physical agents on somatic cells. It is applied to all types of cells reproducing by mitosis in vitro and in vivo, and it is easier and faster to perform than the chromosome aberration assay. With the development of the in vitro cytochalasin-B block method for detecting MN frequency in binuclear cells, its reliability and validity has been increased. At the same time, the test enables an estimation of cytotoxicity using the frequency of nuclear division index in in vitro studies, and the ratio between polychromatic erythrocytes and normochromatic erythrocytes in in vivo studies. Human beings and other species are exposed to a large number of chemical and physical factors in their environment. Therefore, the genotoxic studies about the adverse effects and potential risks of those factors gain importance exponentially. The MN test is a practical bio-monitoring test that provides an investigation tool on genotoxic and carcinogenic potentials and reliability of physical agents, drugs and all types of other chemical such as pollutants, food additives to which people are exposed daily, and it helps to predict and monitor the cancer risk. The MN technique, OZET Mikronukleus (MN)’lar hucrenin mitoz bolunmesi