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Chromosome preparations of human blood lymphocytes—Evaluation of techniques

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Abstract

Several parameters of human lymphocyte culturing techniques and metaphase chromosome preparation procedures were studied and quantitatively evaluated in regard to their influence on the results of Q and G banding procedures. The culturing conditions were studied using3H thymidine incorporation as a parameter. A whole blood culturing technique using Ham's F12 medium was found to give optimal and consistent results. Colcemid concentration proved to be of no influence on chromosome contraction or on the number of metaphases obtained over the concentration range investigated. Prolonged exposure to colcemid was found to cause a decrease in the mean chromosome length but the absolute number of metaphases with a low degree of chromosomal contraction hardly decreased. Different spreading techniques were quantitatively analysed and factors important for the spreading of chromosomes were evaluated. Based on the results obtained, an optimal procedure is described which over a period of one year has given consistent results.

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Bosman, F.T., Van Der Ploeg, M., Schaberg, A. et al. Chromosome preparations of human blood lymphocytes—Evaluation of techniques. Genetica 45, 425–433 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01772869

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01772869

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