Karyotyping is a test to examine chromosomes in a sample of cells. This test can help identify genetic problems as the cause of a disorder or disease.
How the Test is Performed
The test can be performed on almost any tissue, including:
- Amniotic fluid
- Blood
- Bone marrow
- Tissue from the organ that develops during pregnancy to feed a growing baby (placenta)
To test amniotic fluid, an amniocentesis is done.
A bone marrow biopsy is needed to take a sample of bone marrow.
The sample is placed into a special dish or tube and allowed to grow in the laboratory. Cells are later taken from the new sample and stained. The laboratory specialist uses a microscope to examine the size, shape, and number of chromosomes in the cell sample. The stained sample is photographed to show the arrangement of the chromosomes. This is called a karyotype.
Certain problems can be identified through the number or arrangement of the chromosomes. Chromosomes contain thousands of genes that are stored in DNA, the basic genetic material.