Sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) rate in normal and abnormal sexual development in males and females.
Thirty-three patients with abnormal sexual development (9 male hypogonads, 20 females with primary amenorrhea and 4 cases of ambiguous genitalia), 10 normal males and 8 normal females (below the age of 30 years) were evaluated for SCE/cell and for SCE distribution according to chromosome groups (A to G). Smokers and alcoholics and subjects under medication were excluded from the study. The average rates of SCE/cell in male hypogonads, primary amenorrhea and ambiguous genitalia were 4.23 +/- 1.51, 4.02 +/- 0.90 and 4.33 +/- 1.34, respectively, whereas in normal males and females the average rates were 4.27 +/- 0.69 and 4.49 +/- 0.87, respectively. The SCE data followed a Poisson distribution. Chi-square testing showed a statistically significant difference only in B-group chromosomes when male hypogonads were compared with normal males (p less than 0.02) and females with primary amenorrhea were compared with normal females (p less than 0.02), suggesting the importance of the study of SCE frequency distribution at chromosome group level to bring out the differences otherwise concealed in average rates.
Husain
S A
SA
Department of Anatomy, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Bamezai
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000235:genetics*; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange