MINIBANDS AND CHROMOSOME STRUCTURE - A THEORY

Bright and dark field microscopy were used to examine interphase nucle i and RBG-banded human chromosomes. In dark field microscopy both chro mosomes and interphase chromatin appeared to be composed of similar in dependent structures alternating between bright and dull light intensi ty. The position, colour, and number of these structures may support t he theory that the transition from interphase chromatin to metaphase c hromosomes, takes place without any dramatic changes in local chromati n structure. Although the resolution power of bright and dark field mi croscopy prevent a direct proof for the miniband model, our observatio ns in combination with other data may add further support to this part icular model of chromosome organization.