The Effect of Copper Sulphate on Mitosis of Vicia faba Root Tip Cells

Abstract: In this paper we studied the cytogenetic toxicity effects of different concentrations of copper sulphate on Vicia faba root tip cells. With different concentrations of copper sulphate as mutagen，we used the micronucleus assay and chromosome aberration assay to determine mitotic index，micronucleus rate and chromosome aberration rate of Vicia faba root tip cells. The result showed that different concentrations of copper sulphate could apparently increase mitotic index，that is to say，the mitotic indexes of five test groups were significantly higher than that of the control group（P<0.01 or P<0.001）. In the meantime， copper sulphate could also increase the micronucleus rate of Vicia faba root tip cells. Within certain range of concentration of copper sulphate， the rate of micronucleus was found to increase systematically with the added concentration of copper sulphate，and then to decrease systematically with the concentration. Copper sulphate also caused various types of chromosome aberration. The rate of chromosome aberration was found to increase systematically with the increase of added concentration of copper sulphate for the lower concentration，and then to decrease systematically with the increase of added concentration of copper sulphate for the higher concentration，although still significantly higher than that of the control group（P<0.001）. The result was that copper sulphate had systematical effect of cytogenetic toxicity.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2004.02.0017