Quantitative studies on the arrangement of human metaphase chromosomes

Summary The spatial relationships between the homologous pairs of chromosomes in the normal human colcemid-treated metaphase plate were tested by two different mathematical approaches: (a) determination of the distances between the centromeres of the homologous chromosomes compared to the mean distance of all centromeres of the mitosis in question; (b) measuring the distances of the different chromosomes from the center of the mitosis.The following results were obtained: (1) The arrangement of human metaphase chromosomes does not follow a normal distribution; the distribution is narrower and taller, probably due to an impairment of free chromosome spreading by the cell membrane. We believe that only in membraneless mitotic cells should the chromosome-spread correspond to a normal distribution under the same preparation conditions. (2) There is a positive correlation between decreasing chromosome size and decreasing mean distance between homologous chromosomes. (3) A close positive correlation exists between increasing chromosome size and increasing distance to the barycenter of the mitosis. (4) There is also a close positive correlation between the distance of homologous chromosome pairs and their distance from the center of the mitosis, i.e., with increasing distance from the center of the mitosis, the distance between the homologous partners increases. (5) The following statistically significant deviations from these rules could be established: (a) The large acrocentric chromosomes are closer associated, as one would expect from their size, probably due to their participation in the nucleolus organization; (b) in the female cell one of the two X chromosomes has an extremely peripheral localization; the X chromosomes are furthest apart of all pairs of homologous chromosomes; (c) the chromosome pairs 6 and 8 are relatively close together in spite of their peripheral position, suggesting a truc close association of the homologus partners; (d) the chromosome pair 18 has a more peripheral position than expected, and a relatively large mean distance between the homologous partners; (e) the chromosome pair 1 has a much more central position and a closer association than is expected from its size.