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Review
. 2015 Oct-Dec;36(4):212-8.
doi: 10.4103/0971-5851.171541.

Emergence of micronuclei as a genomic biomarker

Robin Sabharwal  1 , Parul Verma  2 , Mohammed Asif Syed  3 , Tamanna Sharma  4 , Santosh Kumar Subudhi  5 , Saumyakanta Mohanty  6 , Shivangi Gupta  7
Affiliations
Review

Emergence of micronuclei as a genomic biomarker

Robin Sabharwal et al. Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol. 2015 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

The presence of micronuclei (MN) in mammalian cells is related to several mutagenetic stresses. MN are formed as a result of chromosome damage and can be readily identified in exfoliated epithelial cells. MN is chromatin particles derived from acentric chromosomal fragments, which are not incorporated into the daughter nucleus after mitosis. It can be visualized by chromatin stains. A variety of factors influences the formation of MN in cells such as age, sex, genetic constitution, physical and chemical agents, adverse habits such as tobacco, areca nut chewing, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Micronucleation has important implications in the genomic plasticity of tumor cells. The present paper reviews the origin, fate and scoring criteria of MN that serves as a biomarker of exposure to genetic toxins, and for the risk of cancer.

Keywords: Aneugens; clastogens; micronuclei.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Oral exfoliated cells showing micronuclei in oral mucosa (×40)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Micronucleus expression in a dividing cell[1]
Figure 3
Figure 3
Diagrammatic representation of a cross section of normal buccal mucosa. The mucosa of healthy individuals illustrating the different cell layers and possible spatial relationships of the various cell types are shown [Nature Protocols 2009]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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