Fishing for damage on metaphase chromosomes

Abstract

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is used to examine chromosomal abnormalities and DNA damage. Developed in the early 1980s, this technique remains an important tool for understanding chromosome biology and diagnosing genetic disease and cancer. Use of FISH on metaphase chromosomes allows the visualization of chromosomal abnormalities at specific loci. Here, we describe methods for creating metaphase chromosome spreads and the use of telomere FISH probes to detect chromosome ends.