Potassium Chloride (KCl) is a hypotonic solution formulated with cell culture-grade quality water. It is commonly used for cytogenetic applications, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), karyotyping, and chromosome analysis. One of the fundamental techniques in cytogenetics is karyotyping, which involves the analysis and classification of chromosomes based on their size, shape, and banding patterns. KCl is an essential component in the preparation of metaphase spreads for karyotyping.
This solution is suitable as a lysis reagent as the lower osmotic pressure of KCl compared to cell plasma can create an osmotic pressure difference. This process causes the cell’s membranes to swell and rupture, exposing the chromosomes for subsequent analysis. Treating cells with KCl facilitates their expansion for optimal spreading of metaphase chromosomes during karyotyping procedures. After treatment, chromosomes can be fixed and stained using various dyes to visualize the banding patterns, enabling analysis of the structure and identification of any abnormalities under the microscope. Using KCl, combined with other techniques and dyes, is vital for studying chromosomal abnormalities and genetic disorders.