Micronucleus Test: An Evaluation for Genotoxic Screening

Abstract

In the world, it has being found a strong relationship between exposure to genotoxic agents and the development of various health harmful effects. It is a growing concern about the carcinogenic and mutagenic effects of genotoxic agents in populations occupationally, accidentally or by lifestyle exposure. By the fact that the mutagenic action sometimes manifests itself only after many years in the increasing cancers incidence and congenital malformations, characterizing the so called cumulative effects, which has contributed to that exposure to genotoxic agents that is a major public health problem. There is a need for reliable and rapid tests that detect the damage caused by this type of exposure, as the micronucleus test. Considering the importance of this test for the monitoring of chromosomal changes caused by occupational exposure, this review aims to characterize the micronucleus test and demonstrate its applicability in genotoxic assessment and monitoring of occupational organisms exposed to toxic agents. It was concluded that using this technique it is possible to detect and identify genotoxic effects through chromosomal aberrations in organisms cells exposed to substances with mutagenicity potential. Thus, the MNs act as biological markers of genetic damage and can be used as mutagenicity indicators and as a monitoring tool, considering that they return to baseline levels when the body remains a period without contact with the inducing substance.