[Fluorescent in situ hybridization in clinical cytogenetics]

During the last few years molecular biology methods expanded into human cytogenetics. This is in close connection with advanced technologies of DNA probes preparation and possibilities of their non-radioactive labelling by means of enzymatic incorporation of modified nucleotides as well as their hybridization with complementary DNA of chromosomes and interphase nuclei. FISH became a useful method in the clinical research. We present the short review of FISH methodologies and their applications for studies of translocation, deletions, amplifications and other chromosomal rearrangements in genetic and oncologic patients. The sensitivity of these methods is approximately 1-10 kb and therefore precise localization of genes on chromosomes is possible. Except gene mapping FISH can be used for comparative genomic mapping (CGH) and for identification of chromosomal changes of tumor cells.