mBAND: Multicolor Chromosome Banding

With MetaSystems proprietary multicolor chromosome banding technique mBAND the entire human chromosome is resolved into reproducible high resolution color bands along its longitudinal axis.

mBAND Options and Links
General Introduction.	more...
Chromosome 1: Duplication in the q-arm.	more...
Chromosome 2: Ring chromosome originating from the q-arm.	more...
Chromosome 4: Insertion at 4q24.	more...
Isis mBAND analysis software.	more...
XCyte mBAND probe kits.	more...

Any mBAND DNA probe kit (XCyte) provides a mix of region specific partial chromosome paints (pcp), which are generated by microdissection of a certain chromosome. A special feature of these probes is the partial overlapping of neighbouring pcps. Consequently, two different adjacent pcps can cover the same chromosomal region. The overlapping of the neighbouring pcps and the decreasing fluorescent intensity towards the margins of the signals leads to a consistent variation of fluorescent intensity ratios along the longitudinal axis of the chromosomes.

Images are captured using MetaSystems Isis mFISH/mBAND imaging system, preferably using a motorized epifluorscent microscope. The different fluorochromes are separated using specific narrow band pass filters. Subsequently to image acquisition and image pre-processing, an automatic  training step virtually separates the chromosome into a predefined number of segments. The fluorescent intensity ratios are calculated within each segment separately, and a defineable false color is assigned to each ratio, thus revealing the false color banding pattern. The banding pattern is relatively independent from the length of the chromosome and therefore, in contrast to other chromosome banding techniques, also independent from its condensation grade.

The single pcps are labelled with up to five different fluorochromes, which are also used for the labelling of the MetaSystems 24XCyte mFISH kit. Therefore the analysis of mFISH and mBAND preparations can be done with the same Isis software module, and also the analysis strategy is similar. The hybridisation itself follows in principle a standard FISH protocol.

Obviously, mBAND analyses are very useful for refining breakpoints of all kinds of chromosomal aberrations. Especially intrachromosomal rearrangements can be easily observed, especially if complex aberrations with more than two breakpoints are present. To enlighten the advantages of mBAND, the following section presents some examples of aberrations analyzed with this method. The images shown are screenshots of the original single color gallery from Isis (but due to space restrictions the images are smaller than the originals). If you move the mouse over one of the thumbnail images, you will see a larger image. For better comparison also an image of the normal chromosome is shown.

This page is currently under construction. We will as soon as possible extend the list of examples given below.

Chromosome #1

Chromosome #2

Chromosome #4