Micronucleus Assay in Lymphocytes for Human Biomonitoring and Clinical Studies

Micronuclei (MN) are originated when a whole or broken chromosome/chromatin lag at the anaphase of dividing cells and becomes separated from the main chromatin during telophase. The test to detect this structure in lymphocytes, the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt) assay, has been used for over 40 years and it is still being applied in new and promising areas of biology, health, and nanotechnology. It can be used to assess the genotoxic effect derived from occupational and environmental exposure or because of having a chronic disease. In addition, the test can be considered an indirect measure of prognosis in clinical studies. The present chapter reviews different studies that describe the formation of MN in lymphocytes and the associations of the increase of MN in individuals exposed environmentally and occupationally to different genotoxic agents. In addition, this chapter brings some results of this biomarker of genomic instability and its relation with different diseases.