Different chromosome banding procedures to distinguish between mouse and rabbit chromosomes in mouse-rabbit somatic cell hybrids.

The discrimination of the parental chromosomes in interspecific somatic cell hybrids, is a powerful tool in gene mapping studies. We report the methods used to distinguish between murine and rabbit chromosomes in mouse-rabbit somatic cell hybrids. By means of G-banding patterns it is possible to determine the murine or rabbit origin of the chromosomes, as well as the single chromosome identification in the same hybrid metaphase. To rapidly establish whether the chromosome are of murine or rabbit origin we use C-banding and Hoechst staining procedures, which staining or elongating respectively and preferentially the centromeric area of the mouse chromosomes allowed indubitable species assignment.