Satellite associations of human acrocentric chromosomes identified by trypsin treatment at metaphase

In the present work 2526 metaphase plates were prepared from 28 normal adult individuals (12 male and 16 female) and then treated with the trypsin method in order to recognize the acrocentric chromosomes involved in the satellite associations. From our data it can be inferred that while the pattern of association of D--D, D--G and G--G groups seems to be random, there exists some preferential association, particularly between the pairs 13--14, 13--13, 13--21 and 21--21. This non-random participation of the acrocentric chromosomes could fit with the new concepts of interphase/metaphase organization of the chromatin fibre.