The HUMNxl scoring criteria for different cell types and nuclear anomalies in the buccal micronucleus cytome assay - an update and expanded photogallery.
The buccal micronucleus cytome assay is a minimally invasive cytological and interphase cytogenetic technique for measuring DNA damage and cell death biomarkers in the oral epithelium. In this report we provide an updated and more comprehensive version of the cellular and nuclear scoring criteria used in the assay accompanied with a photogallery of the various cell types and nuclear anomalies. These detailed scoring criteria complement previous published protocols of this assay and form the basis for guiding intra- and inter-laboratory slide scoring comparisons. The scoring criteria update described in this paper is the outcome of ongoing efforts of the HUMN and HUMNxl projects (www.humn.org) to standardize the application of micronucleus assay for use in human biomonitoring and to update procedures as knowledge on mechanisms and technical capability improvements.
Environmental Carcinogenesis Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino- IST Istituto Nazionale Ricerca sul Cancro, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, Genova, Italy. Electronic address: claudia.bolognesi@hsanmartino.it.
Claudia
C
Bolognesi
Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Siegfried
S
Knasmueller
Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Armen
A
Nersesyan
CSIRO Preventative Health Flagship, PO Box 10041, Adelaide BC 5000, Australia.
Philip
P
Thomas
CSIRO Preventative Health Flagship, PO Box 10041, Adelaide BC 5000, Australia. Electronic address: michael.fenech@csiro.au.
Michael
M
Fenech
D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006801:Humans; D015162:Micronucleus Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology
Biomonitoring; Buccal micronucleus cytome assay (BMcyt); DNA damage; Exfoliated cells