title: Evaluation of the micronucleus test using a Chinese hamster cell line as an alternative to the conventional in vitro chromosomal aberration test.
abstract: The in vitro micronucleus (MN) test was carried out simultaneously with the conventional chromosomal aberration (CA) test on 11 clastogenic chemicals or spindle poisons with different modes of action using a Chinese hamster cell line (CHL). The method of slide preparation for the MN test was the same as that for the conventional metaphase analysis, except that 1% acetic acid in methanol was used as the cell suspension medium for air-drying (to preserve the cytoplasm around the nucleus). All chemicals tested induced micronuclei reproducibly and dose-dependently in good agreement with the results of metaphase analysis (r = 0.99). Since the MN test methodology is simple and the observation of MN is less subjective than that of CA, we conclude that the in vitro MN test would be a good alternative to the conventional CA test for screening the genotoxicity of chemicals.
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology; D019342:Acetic Acid; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D009153:Mutagens; D019342:Acetic Acid