The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives
Since Singh and colleagues, in 1988, launched to the scientific community the alkaline Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) protocol, or Comet Assay, its uses and applications has been increasing. The thematic areas of its current employment in the evaluation of genetic toxicity are vast, either i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Genetics |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fgene.2015.00180/full |
| _version_ | 1818246083281682432 |
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| author | Joaquin ede Lapuente Joana eLourenço Sonia Alexandra Mendo Miquel eBorràs Marta Gouveia Martins Pedro M. Costa Mario ePacheco |
| author_facet | Joaquin ede Lapuente Joana eLourenço Sonia Alexandra Mendo Miquel eBorràs Marta Gouveia Martins Pedro M. Costa Mario ePacheco |
| author_sort | Joaquin ede Lapuente |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since Singh and colleagues, in 1988, launched to the scientific community the alkaline Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) protocol, or Comet Assay, its uses and applications has been increasing. The thematic areas of its current employment in the evaluation of genetic toxicity are vast, either in vitro or in vivo, both in the laboratory and in the environment, terrestrial or aquatic. It has been applied to a wide range of experimental models: bacteria, fungi, cells culture, arthropods, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and humans. This document is intended to be a comprehensive review of what has been published to date on the field of ecotoxicology, aiming at the following main aspects: (i) to show the most relevant experimental models used as bioindicators both in the laboratory and in the field. Fishes are clearly the most adopted group, reflecting their popularity as bioindicator models, as well as a primary concern over the aquatic environment health. Amphibians are among the most sensitive organisms to environmental changes, mainly due to an early aquatic-dependent development stage and a highly permeable skin. Moreover, in the terrestrial approach, earthworms, plants or mammalians are excellent organisms to be used as experimental models for genotoxic evaluation of pollutants, complex mix of pollutants and chemicals, in both laboratory and natural environment. (ii) To review the development and modifications of the protocols used and the cell types (or tissues) used. The most recent developments concern the adoption of the enzyme linked assay (digestion with lesion-specific repair endonucleases) and prediction of the ability to repair of oxidative DNA damage, which is becoming a widespread approach, albeit challenging. For practical/technical reasons, blood is the most common choice but tissues/cells like gills, sperm cells, early larval stages, coelomocytes, liver or kidney have been also used. (iii) To highlight correlations with other biomarkers. (i |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T14:43:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-755c1a4ef75d474992cae62544ae8fed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-8021 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T14:43:10Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Genetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-755c1a4ef75d474992cae62544ae8fed2022-12-22T00:21:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genetics1664-80212015-06-01610.3389/fgene.2015.00180103544The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectivesJoaquin ede Lapuente0Joana eLourenço1Sonia Alexandra Mendo2Miquel eBorràs3Marta Gouveia Martins4Pedro M. Costa5Mario ePacheco6Barcelona Science ParkUniversity of AveiroUniversity of AveiroBarcelona Science ParkUniversidade Nova de LisboaUniversidade Nova de LisboaUniversity of AveiroSince Singh and colleagues, in 1988, launched to the scientific community the alkaline Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) protocol, or Comet Assay, its uses and applications has been increasing. The thematic areas of its current employment in the evaluation of genetic toxicity are vast, either in vitro or in vivo, both in the laboratory and in the environment, terrestrial or aquatic. It has been applied to a wide range of experimental models: bacteria, fungi, cells culture, arthropods, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and humans. This document is intended to be a comprehensive review of what has been published to date on the field of ecotoxicology, aiming at the following main aspects: (i) to show the most relevant experimental models used as bioindicators both in the laboratory and in the field. Fishes are clearly the most adopted group, reflecting their popularity as bioindicator models, as well as a primary concern over the aquatic environment health. Amphibians are among the most sensitive organisms to environmental changes, mainly due to an early aquatic-dependent development stage and a highly permeable skin. Moreover, in the terrestrial approach, earthworms, plants or mammalians are excellent organisms to be used as experimental models for genotoxic evaluation of pollutants, complex mix of pollutants and chemicals, in both laboratory and natural environment. (ii) To review the development and modifications of the protocols used and the cell types (or tissues) used. The most recent developments concern the adoption of the enzyme linked assay (digestion with lesion-specific repair endonucleases) and prediction of the ability to repair of oxidative DNA damage, which is becoming a widespread approach, albeit challenging. For practical/technical reasons, blood is the most common choice but tissues/cells like gills, sperm cells, early larval stages, coelomocytes, liver or kidney have been also used. (iii) To highlight correlations with other biomarkers. (ihttp://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fgene.2015.00180/fullAmphibiansComet AssayEcotoxicologyPlantsearthwormsMollusks |
| spellingShingle | Joaquin ede Lapuente Joana eLourenço Sonia Alexandra Mendo Miquel eBorràs Marta Gouveia Martins Pedro M. Costa Mario ePacheco The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives Frontiers in Genetics Amphibians Comet Assay Ecotoxicology Plants earthworms Mollusks |
| title | The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives |
| title_full | The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives |
| title_fullStr | The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives |
| title_short | The Comet Assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology: a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives |
| title_sort | comet assay and its applications in the field of ecotoxicology a mature tool that continues to expand its perspectives |
| topic | Amphibians Comet Assay Ecotoxicology Plants earthworms Mollusks |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fgene.2015.00180/full |
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