A NEW SEMIAUTOMATED CHROMOSOME ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR IN-VITRO CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATION TESTS

We have evaluated a new semi-automated chromosome analysis system, emp loying the Magiscan human metaphase finder, for in vitro chromosomal a berration tests. The metaphases on a slide are recognized using the ma in system, a metaphase finder, and their stage coordinates are transfe rred to the satellite system, a computerized microscope with a motoriz ed stage, by way of a diskette. In the satellite system, a researcher analyzes one metaphase after another at high power (100 x objective) w ithout changing the objective. The effectiveness of the system, in com parison with the manual metaphase finding and analysis, was confirmed in in vitro chromosomal aberration tests using cultured Chinese hamste r cells. Structural or numerical aberrations in the cells did not affe ct the metaphase finding. The system reduces the time for chromosome a nalysis by a factor of about 4. Moreover, the system provides perfect reproducibility for analyzing procedure. It is concluded that this sem i-automated system is useful in in vitro chromosomal aberration tests.