Physics looks at cancer
Spectral karyotyping is a technique that allows biologists to rapidly identify each of the 23 pairs of normal human chromosomes, and the origins of recombined chromosomes that often appear in cancer cells. The technique relies on a variety of techniques from physics and chemistry, including Fourier spectroscopy, charge-coupled device imaging and optical microscopy.
(a) Spectral karyotyping of normal human chromosomes. Note that every chromosome is a different colour. (b) Spectral karyotyping of chromosomes from the father of a child with mental retardation. Notice that small fragments of chromosome 1 (which is yellow) have been translocated to chromosome 11 (which is blue), and vice versa. Also shown are images of chromosomes from patients with (c) ataxia, a muscle disease, and (d) breast cancer. (E Schrock et al. 1996 Science 273 494-497)