Cytogenetics

Cytogenetics
The study of chromosomes, the visible carriers of DNA, the hereditary material. Cytogenetics is a fusion science due to joining of cytology (the study of cells) with genetics (the study of inherited variation).
* * *
The branch of genetics concerned with the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes.C. arose as a fusion of 19th century cytology and 20th century genetics, which came into being in 1903 with the articulation of the chromosome theory of inheritance. The developing field concerned itself with detailing the behavior of chromosomes and their functional subunits, the genes, during reproduction, and with relating that behavior statistically to characteristics of the resulting cells or animals. Modern molecular c. involves the microscopic study of chromosomes that have been fixed in mitosis and stained with various agents to delineate characteristic bands. DNA probes can be applied to locate specific gene sequences. Karyotyping is the arrangement of photographs of stained chromosomes in a standard format. Cytogenetic techniques are used to test for inborn errors of metabolism and genomic aberrations such as Down syndrome and to determine sex in cases where anatomy is inconclusive.

* * *

cy·to·ge·net·ics -jə-'net-iks n pl but sing or pl in constr a branch of biology that deals with the study of heredity and variation by the methods of both cytology and genetics
cy·to·ge·net·ic -jə-'net-ik or cy·to·ge·net·i·cal -i-kəl adj
cy·to·ge·net·i·cal·ly -i-k(ə-)lē adv

* * *

n.
a science that links the study of inheritance (genetics) with that of cells (cytology); it is concerned mainly with the study of the chromosome, especially their origin, structure, and functions.

* * *

cy·to·ge·net·ics (si″to-jə-netґiks) the branch of genetics devoted to cellular constituents concerned in heredity, i.e., chromosomes.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • cytogenetics — cytogenetics. См. цитогенетика. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • cytogenetics — [sīt΄ō jə net′iks] n. the science correlating cytology and genetics as they relate to the behavior of chromosomes and genes in cells with regard to heredity and variation cytogenetic adj. cytogenetical cytogeneticist [sīt΄ō net′ə sist] n …   English World dictionary

  • Cytogenetics — A metaphase cell positive for the bcr/abl rearrangement using FISH For the scientific journal of this title, see Cytogenetics and Genome Research. Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function …   Wikipedia

  • cytogenetics — citogenetika statusas T sritis augalininkystė apibrėžtis Citologijos ir genetikos sandūroje atsiradusi mokslo šaka. atitikmenys: angl. cytogenetics rus. цитогенетика …   Žemės ūkio augalų selekcijos ir sėklininkystės terminų žodynas

  • Cytogenetics and Genome Research — Cytogenetic and Genome Research   Former name(s) Cytogenetics, Cytogenetics and Cell Genetics Abbreviated tit …   Wikipedia

  • Cytogenetics, clinical — The application of cytogenetics to clinical medicine. For example, clinical cytogenetic studies might be done to determine whether a child with possible Down syndrome has an extra chromosome #21 …   Medical dictionary

  • cytogenetics — noun plural but singular or plural in construction Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary Date: 1931 a branch of biology that deals with the study of heredity and variation by the methods of both cytology and genetics • cytogenetic or… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • cytogenetics — n. [Gr. kytos, container; genesis, beginning] The comparative study of chromosomal mechanisms and behavior in populations and taxa, and their effect on inheritance and evolution …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • cytogenetics — cytogenetic, cytogenetical, adj. cytogenetically, adv. cytogeneticist, n. /suy toh jeuh net iks/, n. (used with a sing. v.) the branch of biology linking the study of genetic inheritance with the study of cell structure, esp. for human chromosome …   Universalium

  • cytogenetics — noun The branch of genetics that studies the relationships between the structure and number of chromosomes as seen in isolated cells and variation in genotype and phenotype …   Wiktionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”