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[Comparative studies on the detection of Y-chromatin in native and formalin-fixed tissue or organ material (author's
Abstract:
Frequency of detectable Y-bodies in interphase nuclei after mepacrin staining of paraffin embedded formalin-fixed tissue was compared with those of cryostat sections of the native material and organ smears with and without formalin fixing. In formalin fixed smears from males 42--70% of investigated cells showed the Y-body. Sections of formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded male organs demonstrated in 12--24% of their cells the typical fluorescence for the Y-chromatin. High significantly less fluorescent Y-like bodies were found in smears and sections of all proofed organs from women prepared in the same manner. Mepacrin staining in combination with investigation of Barr-bodies permits a fast determination of sex of both organ smears and sections, too.
Insights
Mepacrine staining reliably detects Y-bodies in male cells, aiding rapid sex determination from tissue samples. This method is effective for both organ smears and paraffin-embedded sections.
Area of Science:
- Cytogenetics
- Histology
- Molecular Biology
Context:
- Accurate sex determination from biological samples is crucial in various scientific and forensic applications.
- Traditional methods for identifying sex chromosomes can be time-consuming and require specialized equipment.
- The Y-body, a fluorescent structure representing the Y-chromosome, offers a potential marker for male identification.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the frequency of detectable Y-bodies in interphase nuclei using mepacrine staining across different sample preparation methods.
- To compare the efficacy of mepacrine staining on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, cryostat sections, and organ smears for Y-body detection.
- To assess the utility of mepacrine staining combined with Barr-body analysis for rapid sex determination.
Summary:
- Mepacrine staining was used to detect Y-bodies in male and female cells using various tissue preparations, including formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections and smears.
- Formalin-fixed smears from males showed a high frequency (42-70%) of detectable Y-bodies.
- Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from males exhibited Y-bodies in 12-24% of cells, significantly less than smears.
- Significantly fewer Y-like bodies were observed in all preparations from females, confirming specificity.
Impact:
- Mepacrine staining provides a rapid and effective method for Y-body detection, facilitating quick sex determination.
- The technique is applicable to both organ smears and tissue sections, offering versatility in sample analysis.
- Combined with Barr-body analysis, mepacrine staining offers a dual approach for efficient and accurate sex identification in biological samples.