A RAPID AND SIMPLE METHOD FOR THE ISOLATION AND CULTURE OF LEUKOCYTES FOR CHROMOSOME ANALYSIS IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Abstract

Leukocytes of cattle, sheep and swine can be quickly and easily isolated from heparinized whole blood using a 6% Ficoll–10% Hypaque gradient system. The leukocytes isolated using this method are easily cultured in a routine manner for chromosome preparation. It was found that both good quality and quantity of metaphase spreads can be consistently obtained from all the animals examined. This simple technique will facilitate cytogenetic screening programs in the bovine and swine where chromosome abnormalities seem to be associated with reproductive performance.