An improved banding technique exemplified in the karyotype analysis of two strains of rat.

Abstract

Using an improved Giemsa banding technique karyotypes were prepared from cells of two strains of laboratory rat (AS and Hooded Lister). Slides, aged for 7 days at room temperature were incubated in 2 x SSO at 60 °C for 3 hours and then exposed to 1% trypsin for 90 seconds at 10 ° C. Following Giemsa staining, consistent banding patterns were found in both early and late metaphase cells without loss of chromosome morphology. No major differences were found in the Giemsa banding patterns of the rat strains studied. Some variability in the banding pattern was observed for the small subterminal autosome (B5).