FISH: Differentiation between aneugens and clastogens in in vitro micronucleus tests
In in vitro micronucleus tests (according to OECD 487), the occurrence of micronuclei in interphase cells provides an indirect, but easy and rapid measurement of structural chromosomal damage (clastogenicity) and effects on the spindle apparatus (aneugenicity) in cells that have undergone cell division during or after exposure to a test substance. Micronuclei arise from chromosomal fragments or whole chromosomes, occur rarely spontaneously, but are induced by clastogenic or aneugenic agents.