Image analysis of hepatocyte nuclei from chlordane-treated rats

The treatment of rats with hepatic dysfunction with chlordane at below the "no-effect" dose produces an increase in the number of hepatocyte nuclei with doubled DNA content. More important, though, it can be shown that even cells with unaltered DNA contents undergo statistically significant changes in their chromatin distribution pattern. Thus, image analysis techniques are capable here of detecting and substantiating toxic effects not apparent by visual inspection.