Atomic force microscopy for imaging human metaphase chromosomes |
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Authors: | Tatsuo Ushiki Osamu Hoshi |
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Institution: | (1) Division of Microscopic Anatomy and Bio-imaging, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan |
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Abstract: | The present study introduces the principle of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and reviews our results of human metaphase chromosomes
obtained by AFM. AFM imaging of the chromosomes revealed that the chromatid arm was not uniform in structure but had ridges
and grooves along its length, which was most prominent in the late metaphase. The arrangement of these ridges and grooves
was roughly symmetrical with the counterpart of the paired sister chromatids. AFM imaging of banded chromosomes also showed
that the ridges and grooves were related to the G/Q-positive and G/Q-negative bands, respectively. At high magnification,
the chromatid was seen to be produced by the compaction of highly twisted chromatin fiber loops, and its compaction tended
to be stronger in the ridged regions of the chromosomes than in the grooved regions. Our AFM studies also showed the presence
of catenation of chromatin fibers between the ridged portions of the chromatid in the late metaphase. Thus, AFM is useful
for obtaining the three-dimensional surface topography not only in ambient conditions but also in physiological liquid conditions,
and is expected to be an attractive tool for investigating the structure of chromosomes. |
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Keywords: | atomic force microscopy chromatid human metaphase chromosome |
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