Cytogenetic effects of lead acetate on rat bone marrow cells.

The inducibility of chromosome aberrations and micronuclei by lead acetate was examined in vivo in bone marrow cells of rats after its single or repeated intraperitoneal administration. Lead acetate caused a small but significant increase in the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations (mostly chromatid gaps) and micronuclei. Chromatid breaks and acentric fragments were less frequent in occurrence. Complex aberrations such as chromatid exchanges and multiple breaks were never observed. Our findings suggest that lead acetate exerts a weak clastogenicity on rat bone marrow cells.