Traditional Cytogenetics

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Traditional Cytogenetics

Cells within tissues undergo various cell cycle phases at different times. The cells are cycling rapidly in some tumors, but the proliferation rate is slow in others. Traditionally, cytogenetic laboratories have harvested live (unfixed) tissue and cultured it to obtain dividing cells, which are then used to perform FISH studies. There are drawbacks to performing traditional cytogenetic FISH on human solid tumors, including:
  • No growth in culture – Not all tumor cells rapidly divide and may not grow in culture.
  • Overgrowth in culture – "Tumors" removed during surgery are comprised of abnormal and malignant cells and normal and connective tissue cells. Connective tissue can tend to overgrow in culture, choking out normal and abnormal cells and preventing them from growing.