mutagen
Meaning of mutagen: A mutagen is any physical or chemical agent capable of altering a cell's DNA, with ultraviolet light and certain chemicals among the most familiar examples.
Definition of mutagen
A mutagen is any agent, physical or chemical, capable of causing a mutation, a change in the sequence of a cell's DNA. Exposure to a mutagen can alter DNA directly or interfere with the normal process of copying or repairing it, leaving an altered sequence behind.
Recognized mutagens include ionizing radiation such as x-rays and radioactive substances, ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, and a range of chemical compounds, some occurring naturally and others produced industrially. Exposure can occur through the environment, occupational contact, or certain medical treatments.
Not every mutation caused by a mutagen leads to disease, since cells have mechanisms to repair DNA damage and many mutations have no meaningful effect, but mutations that escape repair and affect genes controlling cell growth can contribute to the development of cancer over time.
Used in a sentence
The patient's occupational history included exposure to a known mutagen used in the manufacturing process.
Good to know
Exposure to a mutagen does not automatically cause disease, since the resulting DNA change is often repaired or has no meaningful effect, and disease develops only when damage escapes repair and affects a gene important to cell growth.
Word origin
Where “mutagen” comes from
Formed from Latin mutare, meaning to change, and the Greek suffix -gen, from gignesthai, meaning to be produced or to give rise to.