FISH: A Powerful Tool in Genetics, I was asked about FISH and its application in genetics, can you give me a little explanation?

FISH: A Powerful Tool in Genetics

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a powerful tool used in genetics to visualize the location of specific DNA sequences within a cell. It is used to study genetic diseases, chromosomal abnormalities, gene mapping, and more. FISH works by taking a sample of cells and tagging a specific DNA sequence with a fluorescent molecule. The tagged cells are then viewed under a fluorescent microscope to identify their exact location within the cell. FISH is a valuable tool for understanding genetic diseases. It can be used to identify specific chromosomal abnormalities associated with diseases such as Down syndrome and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). It can also be used to create detailed genetic maps. For example, it was used to create the first high-resolution map of the human genome in 2003 (Venter et al., 2003).
FISH is also used in cancer research, as it can help identify the specific types of genetic mutations associated with certain types of cancer. It is also used to assess the effectiveness of targeted cancer therapies. For example, in 2020, researchers used FISH to assess the effectiveness of a targeted therapy for CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) in a clinical trial (Steidl et al., 2020). Cont….