Chromosomal characteristics and non-random distribution of sister chromatid exchanges in lymphoblastoid cell lines isolated from acute leukemias.

Serial cytogenetic characteristics of four lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from the peripheral blood of four patients with acute leukemia are presented, including G and C banding techniques and the analysis of sister chromatid exchanges by means of FPG technique. One of these lines turned into predominantly diploid although originally pseudodiploid, while the other three changed from diploid to heteroploid ones during prolonged cultivation, with the appearance of a marker chromosome in one of them. The mean number of sister chromatid exchanges per mitosis (9.6) did not differ from the control value obtained in short-term cultivations of lymphocytes of healthy subjects. All lines showed a significantly increased number of sister chromatid exchanges in the B group chromosomes. The contribution of FPG technique for the study of cell kinetics is briefly discussed.