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Technical aspects of automatic micronucleus analysis in rodent bone marrow assays

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Abstract

The mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay is anin vivo test commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry to evaluate the genotoxic potential of new compounds. The test detects agent-induced chromosomal damage or damage of the mitotic spindle apparatus. In this paper the state-of-the-art in automated rodent micronucleus evaluation using computerized image analyis in combination with high-quality slides obtained by the cellulose column fractionation technique is reviewed. The latter allows the effective removal of nucleated cells from rodent bone marrow. It has been found that automatic micronucleus scoring with the Leitz MIAC image analyzer is substantially faster than labor-intensive manual analysis. Automatic scoring can be performed overnight for up to 16 slides. We have been successfully using automatic micronucleus analysis for the testing of new pharmaceutical drugs for more than 3 years.

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Abbreviations

MNE:

NCE containing micronuclei

MPE:

PCE containing micronuclei

NCE:

normochromatic erythrocyte

PCE:

polychromatic erythrocyte

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Drug Safety, Toxicology, Sandoz Pharma Ltd, CH-4002, Basle, Switzerland

    W. Frieauff & F. Romagna

Authors
  1. W. Frieauff
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  2. F. Romagna
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deceased on 25 May 1994

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Frieauff, W., Romagna, F. Technical aspects of automatic micronucleus analysis in rodent bone marrow assays. Cell Biol Toxicol 10, 283–289 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00755771

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00755771

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