12.7.2 Fluorescence in situ
Hybridization (FISH)
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a molecular cytogenetic technique
that is very similar to immunofluorescence. It is used specifically for the visual-
ization and localization of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid
(RNA) sequences. It has been widely applied in many areas of diagnosis and
research, including prenatal and postnatal screening of genetic aberrations, pre-
implantation genetic diagnosis, cancer genetics, and developmental molecular
biology. FISH allows the microscopic analysis of chromosomal abnormalities
such as an increase or reduction in the number of chromosomes and a translocation
of part of one chromosome onto another.
The basic principle of the method is that ...