Molecular cytogenetics: A novel approach for measuring chromosome translocations in individuals years after exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation

Chromosome painting was developed in our laboratory to facilitate rapid and accurate detection of chromosome translocations in human cells. Chromosome painting is the selective staining of one or more chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using whole chromosome probes. This method permits essentially uniform hybridization and staining along the entire lengths of targeted chromosomes. Staining all other chromosomes a different color makes interchromosomal exchange aberrations readily apparent as bicolored chromosomes. Here we present a brief discussion of this methodology and recent results from studies in our laboratory.