Several years ago, with the tidal wave of molecular biology threatening to engulf and obliterate the rest of biology, it might have seemed that the study of chromosomes was something to be left to a few old-fashioned scientists to occupy them harmlessly until they retired. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, and recently there has been an upsurge in chromosome studies, stimulated by these advances in molecular biology but accompanied by the realization that the arrangement of biological molecules could not,on its own,explain all biological phenomena. In fact, it has long been known that the behaviour of chromosomes at mitosis and meiosis determines the nature of inheritance,and it is becoming clear that the disposition of chromosomes in interphase nuclei is also important for their functioning. Many chromosomal substructures such as heterochromatin,nucleoli,centromeres and telomeres are being studied intensively, as well as chromosomal phenomena such as imprinting.With the immense reduction in mortality from infectious disease in Western societies, genetic diseases have become much more significant, and many of these, including spontaneous abortions and cancer, are the result of chromosomal defects.These and other chromosomal topics are covered in this book, which is aimed at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students who, it is assumed, will have a basic knowledge of chromosomes such as can be gleaned from many excellent genetics and cell biology textbooks. Each chapter can be read in isolation, but in reality no single topic is isolated from any other, and I have cross-referenced the text quite heavily
to guide the reader to further, related information.I have also included a substantial amount of tabular material, which I believe is the most satisfactory way of dealing with the vast amount of data now available on some topics.We are supposed to be living in an electronic age, and where appropriate I have referred to websites,but only when they supplement or complement the material in this book.Access to additional chromosomal websites can be obtained through www.chromosome.net/index.htm