Gone FISHin' for genes

History: To a cytogeneticist or anatomic pathologist, "going FISHin'" has quite a different meaning than the usual relaxing pastime. FISH was developed in 1986 as an offshoot of in situ hybridization.(f.1,2) In the original technique, a nucleic acid probe (single strand of DNA or RNA)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Medical Association journal (CMAJ) 1999-11, Vol.161 (9), p.1138-1138
Main Author: Demetrick, D J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cytogenetics - instrumentation
Cytogenetics - trends
DNA Probes
Equipment Design
Genetics
Humans
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence - instrumentation
Medical Laboratory Science - instrumentation
Medical Laboratory Science - trends
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Summary:History: To a cytogeneticist or anatomic pathologist, "going FISHin'" has quite a different meaning than the usual relaxing pastime. FISH was developed in 1986 as an offshoot of in situ hybridization.(f.1,2) In the original technique, a nucleic acid probe (single strand of DNA or RNA) was labelled with a radioisotope and allowed to bind to its complementary strand in a tissue or cell specimen. The location of the signal could be observed by autoradiography on high-resolution photographic film. FISH was developed to identify, by fluorescence, cells containing a genetic target from a complex mixture. The probe is labelled with a fluorescent dye that hybridizes to a DNA target and can be directly seen with fluorescent microscopy. Major advantages of FISH are the brightness of the signal seen and the narrow wavelength of light that each fluor emits, allowing multiple fluors to be easily distinguished in the same sample. Furthermore, the fluor is confined to the binding site, unlike other dyes which precipitate around the binding site. This precise localization allows mapping of the fluorescent signal to subcellular levels and can even be used to determine the location of specific genes (Figure). This technique can also allow quantitation of the number of targets (or genes) in a specific interphase cell nucleus (Figure inset) and may eventually be useful as an indicator of biologic potential in a tumour such as a breast carcinoma. The simultaneous use of numerous fluorescent probes, each emitting light at a different wavelength, makes FISH one of the most aesthetically pleasing of all medical diagnostic tests.(f.3,4)
ISSN:0820-3946
1488-2329