Human cytogenetics / John L. Hamerton.

  • Hamerton, John L. (John Laurence)
Date:
1971
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Human cytogenetics / John L. Hamerton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    xii PREFACE this way it is hoped that some of the problems of chromosome behavior which are obscure when considered in relation to man alone will become that much clearer. This work, which was started in 1962 as a short monograph re¬ flecting the knowledge available at that time has developed into a full synthesis of human cytogenetics based on the much wider knowledge available today. The first volume deals with the general principles of cytogenetics in relation to man, and aims to present the theoretical back¬ ground necessary for a deeper understanding of the subject. It is hoped that it will serve as an introduction to the subject which will be of use to an investigator entering the field for the first time. The second volume deals with the clinical cytogenetics of man. The first three chapters consider the sex chromosomes and their abnormalities and the abnormali¬ ties of sexual development and differentiation. The fourth chapter con¬ siders some of the facts derived from a study of abnormal sexual develop¬ ment and difl'erentiation, and, drawing on this data, presents a hypothesis on the normal mechanism of sex determination in mammals which has been developed over the past few years. The next four chapters deal with the major autosomal abnormalities found in human populations. The last two chapters consider chromosome abnormalities in relation to human pregnancy wastage and chromosome changes in neoplasia. The appendices to Volume I give some basic technical schedules which may be of some help to the novice investigator. The techniques are mainly those which have been tried over the past nine years and found useful in the Paediatric Research Unit, Guy's Hospital Medical School, London. Other appendices give, in full, the reports of the Denver, London, and Chicago meetings which are essential if a true historical perspective is to be obtained. No attempt has been made to obtain a completely exhaustive sur¬ vey of the literature and, despite a bibliography approaching 2000 refer¬ ences, many have been omitted, some from choice and some because I was unable to read or obtain them. My approach has been critical, and I have endeavored to provide not only a review of data but also critical comment where I felt this desirable. I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to my colleagues and friends for valuable discussions during the time this treatise was in preparation. In particular, I should like to thank Dr. Georgiana Jagiello who read the entire manuscript; her critique was invaluable during the final revision. My thanks are also due to my former Chief, Professor Paul E. Polani, for his understanding and forbearance while I was engaged in the preparation of this work as well as for reading the manuscript, for many valuable discussions, and for allowing me to use certain of his un-