Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (Array CGH) for Detection of Genomic Copy Number Variants
Published on: February 21, 2015
Comparison of chromosome analysis and chromosomal microarray analysis: what is the value of chromosome analysis in
Weimin Bi1, Caroline Borgan, Amber N Pursley
1Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. wbi@bcm.tmc.edu
Purpose:
Chromosomal microarray analysis enables the detection of microdeletions/duplications and has become the standard in clinical diagnostic testing for individuals with congenital anomalies and developmental disabilities. In the era of genomic arrays, the value of traditional chromosome analysis needs to be reassessed.
Methods:
We studied 3,710 unrelated patients by chromosomal microarray analysis and chromosome analysis simultaneously and compared the results.
Results:
We found that chromosomal microarray analysis detected the chromosomal imbalances that were identified by chromosome analysis with the exception of six cases (0.16%) that had mosaic abnormalities. Of note, one case showed mosaicism for two abnormal cell lines, resulting in a balanced net effect and a normal chromosomal microarray analysis. Further structural abnormalities such as unbalanced translocations, rings, and complex rearrangements were subsequently clarified by chromosome analysis in 18% of the cases with abnormal chromosomal microarray analysis results. Apparently balanced rearrangements were detected by chromosome analysis in 30 cases (0.8%).
Conclusion:
Our data demonstrate that although chromosomal microarray analysis should be the first-tier test for clinical diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities, chromosome analysis remains valuable in the detection of mosaicism and delineation of chromosomal structural rearrangements.
Related Concept Videos
DNA Microarrays
Karyotyping
Karyotyping
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation- ChIP
Types of ChIP
ChIP can be divided into two types - X-ChIP and N-ChIP. X-ChIP involves in vivo cross-linking of histones and regulatory proteins to DNA, fragmenting the DNA by sonication, and isolating the protein-DNA...
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

