Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Assessing the mutagenic effects
of biomaterials: analyzing the cellular
genome and abnormalities
L. J. SCIORRA, Saint Peter's University, USA and
A. ARRIOLA, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, USA
DOI
: 10.1533/9780857093684.224
Abstract
: Mutagenesis is the underlying molecular mechanism through
which natural selection acts and evolution progresses, creating the great
genetic diversity seen on the planet. Since the middle of the twentieth
century and the determination of the molecular structure of DNA,
numerous methods have been developed to detect mutations at the
molecular and chromosomal level. These methods have developed at a
remarkable speed, and we now are approaching the point where entire
genomes will be affordably sequenced, stored and analyzed, leading to
a time when information of an individual's genome becomes a standard
activity in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease.
Key words
: mechanisms of mutagenesis.
7 .1 Introduction
This chapter will cover two major themes:
1.
Organization of the cellular genome.
2.
Detection of genomic abnormalities.
In these sections, we will describe the organization of the genetic mate-
rial that controls living cells and the types of defects that can occur. We
will highlight the structure and organization of genetic material, specifi c
alterations that can occur, some human examples that illustrate the power
the mutagenic process can have on the organism, and some recent stud-
ies that point to the importance of monitoring the mutagenic effects of
biomaterials.
224
