Human Chromosomes

• Other than identifying the genetic diseases and abnormalities in adults, karyotyping is especially useful for expectant mothers. By doing a karyotyping test on an unborn child, doctors can determine if a baby will suffer any form of abnormality. Karyotype tests are done by taking a sample of blood or bone marrow or via a buccal (cheek swab). Results from buccal swabbing tend to be less accurate than results obtained by testing blood and bone marrow.
  
  

Male or Female?

• A simple project to help students understand karyotypes involves explaining the difference between the male and female karyotype. Print a large "X" on two sheets of 8.5 by 11-inch card stock, and print a large "Y" on two more pieces of 8.5 by 11-inch card stock. Hold up the cards in different combinations in class and let your students classify each karyotype according to sex. Males have both the X and Y chromosome and females have two X chromosomes. This is also an excellent activity to discuss the parts of a chromosome, mainly the centromere and telomere, and genetic abnormalities due to males and females having extra sex chromosomes.
  
  

Mix and Match Project

• Another karyotyping project is as simple as a mix and match game. Find a normal karyotype on the Internet. Enlarge the image and print it. It must be big enough so that its parts are recognizable. Next, cut those out and put the pieces on cardboard and put double-sided tape on the back. Let your students match the 23 pairs of chromosomes, starting from largest to smallest. This simple activity is how a geneticist studies a karyotype.
  
  

Diagnostic Project

• After acquainting your students about the normal karyotype of a human being, do a comparative analysis of karyotype sets that has added or missing chromosomes, thus making it probable to match it to a medical syndrome or abnormality. You can group the students into two and give them a set of genetically abnormal karyotype. Give them a list of the possible answers and from there, they must study each diagnosis and explain how their given karyotype fits the syndrome description. This works specifically for numerical chromosome disorders, such as Down or Turner syndrome. Let them do a detailed report on their findings.