title: Centromeric association and non-random distribution of centromeres in human tumour cells.
abstract: Centromere arrangement in interphase and metaphase cells of two human tumour cell lines was analysed using anti-kinetochore antibodies as immunofluorescent probes. In GLC1 interphase nuclei, kinetochores were non-randomly positioned around the nucleolus and close to the nuclear membrane. During S and early G2 phase, necklace-like strands of kinetochores were formed in the centre of the nucleus. The duplication of sister kinetochores during the G2 phase was not synchronized. At late G2 phase, a relatively random topological distribution of centromeres was observed with short linear arrays of sister kinetochores. Carefully spread metaphase plates of MDA-MB231 cells generally exhibited a linear alignment of centromeres and large centromeric clusters. In completely pulverized MDA-MB231 cells, centromeres showed a strong tendency to associate with each other.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Humangenetik der Universität Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haaf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000235:genetics; D002503:Centromere; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002875:Chromosomes; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D008677:Metaphase; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000648:ultrastructure*