What is the Difference Between Mutagen and Teratogen?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Mutagens and teratogens are chemical, physical, or biological agents that can cause harm to individuals. The main difference between them lies in their effects on an organism:
- Mutagens are agents that alter the DNA sequence of an individual, causing mutations. These mutations can lead to various consequences, including cancers and chromosomal abnormalities. Mutagens can damage the DNA sequence by breaking them or creating crosslinks. They affect the genetic composition of an individual and can cause different types of mutations due to insertions, deletions, or translocation of the sequence bases.
- Teratogens are agents that cause harmful effects on the developing fetus during pregnancy. They can cause birth defects, abnormalities, and developmental delays. Teratogens can lead to physical malformations such as shortened, extra, or absent limbs. They can interfere with embryonic development.
Both mutagens and teratogens can cause significant harm to an organism. While mutagens alter the DNA sequence of an individual, teratogens directly affect the development of the fetus during pregnancy.
Comparative Table: Mutagen vs Teratogen
Mutagens and teratogens are chemical, physical, or biological agents that can cause harm to individuals. Mutagens alter the DNA sequence of an organism, causing mutations, while teratogens cause harmful effects on the developing fetus during pregnancy. Here is a table comparing the differences between mutagens and teratogens:
| Feature | Mutagens | Teratogens |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Substances or agents that cause changes in the DNA sequence of an organism. | Substances or agents that cause harmful effects on the developing fetus during pregnancy. |
| Effects | Alter the genetic composition of an individual, causing mutations. | Cause physical malformations, such as shortened, extra, or absent limbs, and developmental delays. |
| Timing | Can harm an individual at any time in their life. | Affect only at the time of pregnancy. |
| Examples | Ionizing radiations (gamma rays, X-rays, alpha particles), UV rays above 260 nm. | Alcohol, tobacco, rubella virus, and syphilis. |
Mutagens can cause different types of mutations due to insertions, deletions, or translocation of the sequence bases. Teratogens, on the other hand, can cause birth defects, abnormalities, and developmental delays in the developing fetus. Both mutagens and teratogens can lead to very harmful or lethal effects in individuals, but biotechnology has given new insights into their mechanisms and potential applications.
- Mutation vs Mutagen
- Mutagen vs Carcinogen
- Genotoxicity vs Mutagenicity
- DNA Damage vs Mutation
- Cytotoxicity vs Genotoxicity
- Cisgenesis vs Transgenesis
- Random Mutagenesis vs Site Directed Mutagenesis
- Germline Mutation vs Somatic Mutation
- Mitogen vs Growth Factor
- Transformation vs Transmutation
- Metabolites vs Antimetabolites
- Gene Mutation vs Chromosome Mutation
- Chromosomal Aberration vs Gene Mutation
- DNA Sequence Mutations vs Epigenetic Modifications
- Transformants vs Recombinants
- Metagenesis vs Metamorphosis
- Hapten vs Antigen
- Mutation vs Recombination
- Oncogenes vs Proto Oncogenes