Micronuclei test in routine smears from uterine cervix.

Micronuclei are intracytoplasmatic inclusion bodies formed from chromatin fragments or whole chromosomes. Their presence in cells is a reflection of chromosomal aberrations during cellular mitosis. The micronuclei in exfoliated cells of the cervix have been suggested to represent a marker of their malignant potential. The Authors present a study with a micronuclei test carried out on cervical smears. Moderate and severe dysplasia revealed a slightly higher frequency of micronuclei than the inflammatory and mild dysplasia. The Author suggest that the rising frequency of micronuclei in exfoliated cervical cells reflects a sustained mutagenesis in cervical epithelium.