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DO AIRBORNE PARTICLES INDUCE HERITABLE MUTATIONS?
Citation:
Samet, J. W., D M. Demarini, AND H. V. Malling. DO AIRBORNE PARTICLES INDUCE HERITABLE MUTATIONS? SCIENCE 304(5673):971-972, (2004).
Description:
Urban air is contaminated by gaseous and particulate emissions from a variety of sources, including industrial, vehicular, power generation, and natural. These emissions, as well as their atmospheric transformation products, damage ecological systems and causes adverse effects on public health (1). Airborne particles have been a particular concern because epidemiological findings link current levels to a lengthening list of adverse health effects (1). In this issue of Science, Somers and colleagues (2) extend these observations beyond effects in somatic cells by presenting experimental evidence that heritable genetic changes might now be added to the list.