KARYOTYPING OF INDIVIDUAL CELLS WITH FLOW-CYTOMETRY

As the study of metaphase chromosomes with now cytometry presupposes m ixing all chromosomes from many cells before analysis, important infor mation is lost, To overcome this Limitation we have developed a novel cell-oriented now cytometric method for chromosome analysis, A flow cy tometer supplied with a special device for disruption of metaphase chr omosomes is the heart of the method, Cells with stained chromosomes ar e pressed into the disruption device and then converted in batches of chromosomes, Chromosome fluorescence and time intervals between fluore scence pulses are registered, There are large time intervals between n eighboring batches because a sparse cell suspension is used and, in tu rn, there are small time intervals inside batches. Taking account of t ime intervals, it is possible to identify individual cell now karyotyp es, This highly productive method for individual cell analysis (100-20 0 cells/min) ensures detecting the changes in cell now karyotypes, i.e ., under- and overrepresentation of chromosomes, aberrations, and ampl ification of DNA. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.