MICROPHOTOMETRICAL IMAGE-ANALYSIS OF THE SUBTELOMERIC REGION OF T-BANDED ENDOREDUPLICATED CHROMOSOMES OF CHINESE-HAMSTER OVARY CELLS

Microphotometrical scanning and computer graphic image analysis were c arried out to detect the distribution of chromatin densities in subtel omeric segments of T-banded endoreduplicated chromosomes of Chinese ha mster ovary (CHO) cells. Chromatin density patterns detected with this method were similar to those previously found in CHO and normal human chromosomes. The highest chromatin densities were considered as marke r segments which led to the detection of reciprocal changes of positio n in endoreduplicated chromosomes during cell spreading on the slide. The problem of the subtelomeric T-banding density patterns found in th e endoreduplicated chromosomes and their relation to the structure and molecular composition of this region is briefly discussed.