Homogeneously staining region
Encyclopedia
Homogeneously staining regions (HSRs) are chromosomal segments with various lengths and uniform staining intensity after G banding. This type of aberration is also known as Copy Number Gains or Amplification.
An HSR is one type of change in a chromosome
's structure which is frequently observed in the nucleus
of human cancer
cells
. In the region of a chromosome where an HSR occurs, a segment of the chromosome, which presumably contains a gene
or genes that give selective advantage to the progression of the cancer, is amplified or duplicated many times. As a result of the duplication this chromosomal segment is greatly lengthened and expanded such that when it is stained with a fluorescent probe specific to the region (Fluorescent in situ hybridization
), rather than causing a focal fluorescent signal as in a normal chromosome, the probe "paints" a broad fluorescent signal over the whole of the amplified region. It is because of the appearance of this broadly staining region that this chromosomal abnormality was named a homogeneously staining region.
An HSR is one type of change in a chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...
's structure which is frequently observed in the nucleus
Cell nucleus
In cell biology, the nucleus is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells. It contains most of the cell's genetic material, organized as multiple long linear DNA molecules in complex with a large variety of proteins, such as histones, to form chromosomes. The genes within these...
of human cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
cells
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
. In the region of a chromosome where an HSR occurs, a segment of the chromosome, which presumably contains a gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
or genes that give selective advantage to the progression of the cancer, is amplified or duplicated many times. As a result of the duplication this chromosomal segment is greatly lengthened and expanded such that when it is stained with a fluorescent probe specific to the region (Fluorescent in situ hybridization
Fluorescent in situ hybridization
FISH is a cytogenetic technique developed by biomedical researchers in the early 1980s that is used to detect and localize the presence or absence of specific DNA sequences on chromosomes. FISH uses fluorescent probes that bind to only those parts of the chromosome with which they show a high...
), rather than causing a focal fluorescent signal as in a normal chromosome, the probe "paints" a broad fluorescent signal over the whole of the amplified region. It is because of the appearance of this broadly staining region that this chromosomal abnormality was named a homogeneously staining region.