Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Exploring the Effects of Spaceflight on Mouse Physiology using the Open Access NASA GeneLab Platform
Published on: January 13, 2019
Issues in cytogenetic biological dosimetry: emphasis on radiation environments in space
1Health and Ecological Assessment Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Livermore 94551, USA.
Abstract:
Issues central to the reliability of cytogenetic biodosimetry are presented. Although it now appears that cytogenetic biodosimetry can be used reliably to reconstruct radiation dose after acute, uniform whole-body exposure (albeit within certain dose ranges), additional data are required to fully validate cytogenetic biodosimetry for the protracted and complex exposure conditions in space. Approaches are presented that could be used to obtain the data necessary for validation. It also appears that the use of dicentric aberrations for biodosimetry on missions lasting several months or more may not be reliable because of the large variability observed among individuals in the rate of loss of cells with dicentrics, making back-extrapolations uncertain. This may be testable, however, by comparing the results for dicentrics and translocations obtained by biodosimetry with the radiation dosimetry obtained on board the spacecraft. In addition to these and several other issues, estimates are provided of the current limitations of detection of dicentrics and reciprocal translocations.
Related Concept Videos
Biological Effects of Radiation
Mutations
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
Nucleotide Excision Repair
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
Isotopes and Radioisotopes
An isotope containing more...
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity
Physical Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth: Radiation and Filtration

