COMET ASSAY Meaning and
Definition
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The comet assay, also known as the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay, is a sensitive and widely used laboratory technique in molecular biology and genetic toxicology to investigate DNA damage and repair. It is a well-established method for evaluating various genotoxic agents and is particularly useful for studying the effects of mutagens and carcinogens.
The assay involves embedding isolated cells in a thin agarose gel on a microscope slide and subjecting them to electrophoresis. The cells are then lysed, and an electric field is applied, causing the DNA to migrate and form a comet-like structure due to the DNA damage. The extent of DNA damage can be quantified by measuring the extent of DNA migration from the nucleus of the cell, known as the comet tail.
The comet assay is utilized to assess both single- and double-stranded DNA breaks, alkali-labile sites, and the formation of DNA adducts. It can be applied to various cell types, including human cells, animal cells, and plant cells, and is extensively used in genotoxicity testing, biomonitoring studies, and research on DNA damage and repair mechanisms.
The results obtained from the comet assay are usually presented as tail moment, which quantifies the amount of DNA damage, along with other parameters such as tail intensity and tail length. It provides valuable information about the genotoxic potential of different compounds and aids in determining their impact on DNA integrity, thus playing a crucial role in supporting toxicological and biomedical research.
Common Misspellings for COMET ASSAY
- xomet assay
- vomet assay
- fomet assay
- domet assay
- cimet assay
- ckmet assay
- clmet assay
- cpmet assay
- c0met assay
- c9met assay
- conet assay
- coket assay
- cojet assay
- comwt assay
- comst assay
- comdt assay
- comrt assay
- com4t assay
- com3t assay
- comer assay
Etymology of COMET ASSAY
The etymology of the word "Comet Assay" is as follows:
The term "comet" in Comet Assay refers to the visual appearance of the DNA fragments during the assay. When subjected to an electric field, fragmented DNA migrates through a gel matrix forming comet-like shapes, with the head representing intact DNA and tail representing fragmented DNA.
The word "assay" comes from the Old French word "essayer" meaning "to try" or "to test". It further originates from the Latin word "exagium" which means "weighing" or "trial".
Therefore, the term "Comet Assay" originates from the appearance of DNA fragments resembling comets and the process of testing or analyzing DNA damage or repair.
Similar spelling words for COMET ASSAY
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