Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

The detection, definition and regulation of aneugenic chemicals

Conference ·
OSTI ID:28457
The stability of the genome is dependent upon the coordinated functioning of the mitotic and meiotic cell division cycles. Events of significance in stability include both chromosome replication and segregation. These processes involve the functioning of a series of interrelated cell organelles and coordinated activities such as the synthesis and functioning of the proteins of the cell division spindle and the attachment and movement of the chromosomes on the spindle apparatus. Modifications of the functioning of the cell division apparatus may lead to aberrations of chromosome segregation and the production of cells with abnormal chromosome numbers, whether a multiple of the complete karyotype (polyploidy) or deviations from the normal number of individual chromosomes (aneuploidy). When aberrant segregation is symmetrical and produces progeny cells in which one cell gains a chromosome (e.g. 2n+1 or n+1) and the other loses a chromosome (e.g. 2n-1 or n-1) the event is called non-disjunction. However, non-disjunction is only one of a number of events which result in numerical change and in aneuploidy screening systems reciprocal products are only rarely detected. Although there is currently no data to unambiguously demonstrate that chemical exposure has produced an increase in aneuploidy or polyploidy in a human population by analogy with chemicals capable of inducing point mutations it is an elemental precaution to prevent exposure to aneugens. This in turn raises the question; {open_quotes}as to whether chemical aneugens should be regulated in the same manner as point mutagens or whether such chemicals have unique properties and characteristics which require unique regulatory procedures.{close_quotes} The aim of this paper is to consider some of the factors which require consideration in the development of regulatory policies for environmental aneugens.
OSTI ID:
28457
Report Number(s):
CONF-9210475--Cond.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English