title: Measurement of DNA damage in individual cells using the Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (Comet) assay.
abstract: The Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (Comet) assay is a simple, versatile and sensitive method for measuring DNA damage in individual cells, allowing the determination of heterogeneity of response within a cell population. The basic alkaline technique described is for the determination of DNA strand break damage and its repair at a single cell level. Specific modifications to the method use a lower pH ('neutral' assay), or allow the measurement of DNA interstrand cross-links. It can be further adapted to, for example, study specific DNA repair mechanisms, be combined with fluorescent in situ hybridisation, or incorporate lesion specific enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Drug-DNA Interactions Research Group, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.forename: Victoria J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Spanswick
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hartley
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004249:DNA Damage; D045647:DNA Glycosylases / Q000378:metabolism; D004260:DNA Repair; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D045647:DNA Glycosylases