Question

Follow-up to Ames test question:(the Ames test can be used to pre-screen substances...)

Is the teacher basically asking for two answers for each question--one with the Ames test response and the other with what would happen in an animal model? This is confusing to me. Thank you for your help. Also, is initiating when things initially mutate and then the promoter when tumors develop or vice versa?

Answer 1

Ames test is a biochemical analysis tool to understand the carcinogenicity as well as mutagenicity of a substance. Since most of the cancers arise from spontaneous or directed mutations, it is believed that a molecule giving positive Ames test will be mutagenic as well as carcinogenic for humans.

Hence, it is very likely that the question being asked is directed to investigate two points, i.e. what is the exact response (positive/negative) of the substance with respect to Ames test. Secondarily, what would this substance cause physiologically in the animal model if incorporated into it. This is very important to understand that the second question is actually directed towards concluding the carcinogenicity of the substance being used.

Hence, based upon the results of first part of the question, the second part can be framed.