Monday, May 27, 2013

Carcinogenicity and Toxicity

Introduction to the carcinogenicity and toxicity

An increased understanding of the mechanism of mutation and cancer stimulation has increased efforts to recognize environmental carcinogens so that they can be deflected. The observation that many carcinogenic agents also are mutagenic is the basis for detecting potential carcinogens by testing for mutagenicity while taking advantage of bacterial selection techniques and short generation times. The Ames test, developed by Bruce Ames in the 1970s has been extensively used to test for the carcinogenicity in the laboratory.Is this topic Chemical Properties of Halogens hard for you? Watch out for my coming posts.

Test for controlling carcinogenicity and toxicity

The Ames test is a mutational reversion assay employing many special strains of Salmonella typhimurium, each of which has a diverse mutation in the histidine biosynthesis operon. To ensure that DNA replication can takes place in the occurrence of the potential mutagens, the bacteria and test materials are mixed in dilute molten top agar to which a trace of histidine has been diluted.


Definition for carcinogenicity


Usually a carcinogen is any material, radionuclide or emission, which is a mediator involved to cause cancer. This may be due to the capacity to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic or biological process. Various radioactive substances are considered as carcinogens, but their carcinogenic action is recognized to the radiation, for e.g gamma rays and alpha particles, which they release. General examples of carcinogens are

inhaled asbestos,

definite dioxins, and

tobacco smoke.

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Definition for toxicity


Toxicity is the extent to which substances can injure an organism. Toxicity can be put forward to the consequence on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell (cytotoxicity) or an organ (organotoxicity), such as the liver (hepatotoxicity). In addition, the word toxicity is used to clarify lethal effects on bigger and more complex groups, such as the family unit or society at huge.

General characteristics of carcinogenicity and toxicity in microbiological research:

The control of microorganisms is critical for the avoidance and curing of disease using chemical and physical materials to treat inanimate objects in order to damage microorganisms or inhibit their growth of the organisms. A drug that disrupts the microbial function not found in eukaryotic animal cells often has a greater selective toxicity and higher therapeutic index. For example, penicillin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis but has little effect on host cells because they lack their cell walls. Therefore penicillin therapeutic index is high. Fig 1. carcinogenicity and toxicity symbol hazards.

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