Different Chromosome Morphology of Diploid and Aneuploid Malignant Cells 2

Abstract

The phenomenon of blurred versus distinct chromosome morphology and its relation to karyotype were studied in 63 primary, 20 metastatic, and 124 in vivo transplanted Rous rat sarcomas. All sarcomas were examined in direct preparations from the tumors. There was a striking difference between meta phases with normal and abnormal chromosome complements: Cells with a normal diploid karyotype had blurred chromosomes, whereas those with aneuploid karyotypes exhibited distinct outlines. Both cell types were malignant and the difference in chromosome morphology was related to the degree of malignancy.