Simplified C-banding of mouse chromosomes

Mouse bone marrow chromosomes incorporated with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) were differentially Giemsa stained after exposure to incandescent light in order to study sister chromatid exchange. Over-exposure of the chromosomes to incandescent light often resulted in the complete loss of sister chromatid differentiation, and it frequently resulted in the C-band formation. C-banding was also prominent with chromosomes which were not labelled with BrdU. The method utilized a 300 W, 130 V, inside-frosted incandescent bulb coupled with phosphate buffering at pH 6.8 and an exposure period of 2 h.