The micronucleus test in piscine erythrocytes

• Published in: Aquatic toxicology Vol. 79; no. 2; pp. 201 - 204
• Main Author: Udroiu, Ion
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 23.08.2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: animal tissues; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; cell nucleus; cytogenetic analysis; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - drug effects; erythropoiesis; Erythropoiesis - drug effects; experimental design; fish; Fishes - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Genotoxicity; literature reviews; Micronucleus test; Micronucleus Tests - methods; Micronucleus Tests - standards; mutagenesis; toxicity testing; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Micronucleus test; Genotoxicity; Red blood cell; Aquatic environment; Ecotoxicology; Toxicity
• ISSN: 0166-445X; 1879-1514
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2006.06.013

Cytogenetic assays on aquatic organisms are essential, as humans are exposed throughout their lifetime to several xenobiotics present in both the water and aquatic food. The micronucleus test showed to be a useful in vivo assay for genotoxicity testing. However, many aspects of its protocol need to be refined, knowledge of confounding factors should be improved and inter-species differences need further investigation. This review summarizes the protocols developed until now, provides knowledge from hematology and physiology that might be useful to researchers dealing with the micronucleus test and indicates the drawbacks of this assay.