Marker Band in One Chromosome 14 from Burkitt Lymphomas

Abstract

KNOWLEDGE of the detailed pattern of fluorescence of the normal human karyotype, showing more than 200 bands per haploid chromosome set¹, has enabled us to recognize, both in biopsies and in cell cultures from several Burkitt lymphomas, an extra band in one homologue of D group chromosome pair No. 14. The deviation was seen in all analysable cells of five out of six tumour biopsies and of seven out of nine tumour cell lines examined, representing twelve different tumours from nine male and three female patients. In three tumours both biopsies and cultures were examined, and it was found that all gave results consistent in the two types of samples. Thus, two of them had the marker band in both the biopsy and culture, the third revealed the marker band absent in both cases. The remaining tumours were investigated only in biopsies or only in culture. They were positive in eight cases, negative in one. Of the twelve tumours examined altogether, ten were positive and two negative.