Centromeric and telomeric staining regions in the chromosomes of cattle (Bos taurus)

Abstract

Two new types of staining regions exist after treatment with a modified version of the ammoniacal-silver technique (Howell et al., 1975), in addition to findings by many other researchers working on the chromosomal complement of Bos taurus. Densely stained regions appear to be associated with the centromeres of many of the 29 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes, but there are also 4–6 of the same acrocentric chromosomes bearing telomeric staining regions (TSRs) at the ends of their long arms. In many metaphases examined, actual physical connectives were observed between both types of these ammoniacal-silver staining regions.