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Table 2 Advantages and disadvantages with certain commonly used cyto-/genotoxic assays.

Advantages Disadvantages
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

Source: SCENIHR  Health Effects of Exposure to EMF (2009),
3.8 Methodological framework, p. 59

Related publication:
Electromagnetic Fields homePotential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields
Other Figures & Tables on this publication:

Table 1. Mobile phone use and the risk of brain tumours and parotid gland tumours

Typical frequencies for devices generating radio frequency fields

Typical frequencies for devices generating intermediate frequency fields

Typical frequencies for devices generating extremely low frequency fields

Figure 1. Incidence of tumours of the central nervous system

Figure 2. Incidence of tumours of the central nervous system

Figure 3. Flow chart of the evaluation process used in the present opinion to evaluate possible health effects of EMF exposure

Table 2 Advantages and disadvantages with certain commonly used cyto-/genotoxic assays.