Micronucleus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A micronucleus is the smaller nucleus in ciliate protozoans. In fission it divides by mitosis, and in conjugation furnishes the pairing of gamete nuclei, by whose reciprocal fusion a zygote nucleus is formed, which gives rise to the macronuclei and micronuclei of the individuals of the next cycle of fission.

[edit] Other meaning

• In a micronucleus test, the genotoxicity of a chemical compound is tested.

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.