Measuring DNA Damage
in Red Blood Cells
Exposure to a test substance can result in damage to the chromosomes or spindle apparatus of cells. During routine cell division, this type of damage can create a smaller ‘micro’-nucleus, apart from the main nucleus.
When red blood cells mature themain nucleus is expelled. Micronuclei remain behind, and can easily be seen in a cell with no other DNA. This makes red blood cells ideal for measuring this endpoint.
In human blood, these ‘micronuclei’ are sometimes referred to as Howell-Jolly Bodies (HJB).