Chromosomes

Chromosomes

After obtaining the Scanning Electron Microscopy of Mammalian Chromosomes from Prophase to Telophase article (Sumner, 1991, pp. 410-418). We have learned that the entire chromosomes split during anaphase.   The article however, argues that the chromosomes do not split into pairs of chromatids until the late prophase or early metaphase.   The article also mentioned that the centromeric heterochromatin doesn’t split in two at the same time as the chromosome, but waits until anaphase.   The author of the article contends that beyond the limits set up in the testing the malsegregation will take place leading to other problems in the testing.
Human and Murine Chromosomes from Prophase to Telophase
While reading in its entirety the article that was handed out in class:   Scanning Electron Microscopy of Mammalian Chromosomes from Prophase to Telophase.   I discovered that there could possibly be a discrepancy in the information that was given in the article and the information that was presented in our Biology class.   When I went through the process of arranging my materials at home I spread out on a large surface and started retaking notes from both the notes that we took in class and the slides and animations.   I discovered that the major difference in the article that we were given and what we learned in class seemed to be about the timing of when chromosomes divide.   In class we learned that the chromosomes split during anaphase.   The article however, argues that the chromosomes do not split into pairs of chromatids until the late prophase or early metaphase.   The article also mentioned that the centromeric heterochromatin doesn’t split in two at the same time as the chromosome, but waits until anaphase.   The author of the article contends that beyond the limits set up in the testing the malsegregation will happen leading to other problems.
The preparation work involved in performing these experiments was to take the mammalian chromosomes that were fixed in methanol:...