CHAPTER 19: Automated Identification and Scoring of Micronuclei

Micronucleus (MN) assays are used as a measure of cellular damage, and are often preferred over other chromosomal aberration assays since they possess similar statistical robustness for detection of genotoxins and require less technical expertise, making them easier to perform. However, the traditional visual scoring methods are tedious and prone to scorer subjectivity. A number of techniques to automate the MN assays have been developed using a variety of technologies. This chapter will provide an overview of several current methods used to automate MN assays, including automated slide-scoring and laser scanning cytometry, as well as conventional and imaging flow cytometry techniques.