PQ-COBRA–FISH of a complex cancer karyotype This near-tetraploid cancer cell shows a range of 2–6 copies of each chromosome and 10 structural rearrangements. (A,B,C) The ratio-, first- and second-binary images of PQ- COBRA–FISH of the nonrearranged chromosomes. In contrast to Fig. 1, the first binary label is on the even numbered and X chromosomes. (D) The rearranged chromosomes present in the same cell. The rearrangements include two isochromosomes, a deletion, the two products of a reciprocal translocation [t(2;3)], four unbalanced translocations involving two chromosomes, and one three-way translocation. The composition of the rearranged chromosomes is shown next to the chromosomes. The t(2;5) illustrates how the binary colors discriminate chromosome number and arm identity of chromosomes that carry the same ratio-label.
