| MN |
- detection of chromosome and genome mutations
- discrimination between clastogen and aneugen effects by using FISH or CREST
- co-detection of apoptosis and
necrosis possible
- no cell type dependency
- fast, inexpensive, easy
- allow automatic scoring
|
- cell division is needed
- detects only acentric fragments (for structural chromosome aberrations)
|
| MN with cytochalasin B
|
- discrimination between cells with and without nuclear division
- detection of dicentric bridges asnucleoplasmic bridges
- measurement of cell proliferation (% binucleated cells)
|
- possible interference of cyto-B with test agent; e.g. spindle poisons andother inhibitors of cytokinesis
- cytoxicity of cyto-B varies between cell types
|
| CA |
- identification of all chromosome mutation types
- co-detection of mitotic indices
|
- needs cell cultivation (mitosis)
- need of highly skilled and experienced personnel
- labour and cost intensive
- subjectivity
- automatic scoring is not possible
|
| SCGE/ Comet assay
|
- no cell cultivation
- estimation of DNA repair capacity
- fast, inexpensive, easy
- some indication of apoptosis
|
- quality of protocol and experimental performance is of crucial importance especially during electrophoresis
|
| SCE |
- co-detection of cell proliferation rate
|
- does not necessarily indicate mutagenicity
- needs cell cultivation (two mitoses and two consecutive S phases)
- mechanism unknown
- addition of BrdU
- time consuming
|
