[Quantitative processing of results of uniparametric fluorescent flow analysis of human chromosomes]

The proposed procedure of computer analysis of the flow karyotype data, obtained in human chromosomes studies, is able to provide information about the basic parameters of the karyotypes: the positions of the peaks (corresponding to the relative size of chromosomes), peaks areas (relative number of chromosomes in the sample), coefficients of variation (CV) of the peaks--possible differences between homologous chromosomes. The analysis is based on the assumption that all chromosomal components of the experimental distributions are normal (Gaussians). The algorithm of the analysis uses a combination of two approaches: truncation method and least squares method. As the flow data are "contaminated" by background components, special tools for filtering off the contaminating signals were designed including the original integral Fourier filtering procedure. This analysis is realized in a program package utilizing IBM-compatible PCs. The user is able to get the desired parameters for most chromosomes of the karyotype under study from univariate flow data: differences between particular homologous chromosomes, presence of chromosome aberrations, extra chromosomes, etc., since structural aberrations and chromosome number variation lead to specific changes of the parameters of chromosome-related components.