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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations
Published on: September 20, 2019
Centromere cleavage is a mechanism underlying isochromosome formation in skin and head and neck carcinomas
Y Jin1, C Jin, L Salemark
1Department of Clinical Genetics, University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Yuesheng.Jin@klingen.lu.se
Abstract:
Centromeric rearrangements, in the form of isochromosomes or whole-arm translocations, are the most common recurrent changes in head and neck and skin carcinomas. Little is known about the mechanisms behind the origin of these chromosome rearrangements. In the present study, one basal cell carcinoma and two squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck were thoroughly studied by cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization techniques. All tumors showed intratumor heterogeneity in the form of cytogenetically related subclones (in all tumors) and unrelated clones (in one tumor). Assessment of karyotypic evolution in these tumors suggests that centromeric cleavage is a mechanism giving rise to isochromosomes. A similar mechanism may also be involved in the formation of whole-arm translocations.
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