ASCP CG EXAM (CLASSIC
CYTOGENETICS) QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS 100% CORRECT RATED A+
||NEWLY UPDATED 2025
What are the basics of in situ hybridization?
✓ Pretreatment of slides with acid, extraction of DNA with barium hydroxide,
and incubation in 2xSSC to promote denaturation.
The following are indicators for amniocentesis, except:
✓ A family history of an autosomal recessive disorder.
When a bone marrow sample cannot be delivered to the lab within 4 hours,
what should be done?
✓ The sample should be placed in media and kept at room temperature.
A peripheral blood (PB) sample is clotted. What should be done?
✓ Break up the clot.
All of the following information is required during the specimen setup
procedure, except:
✓ Infectious agent.
When should samples be logged in?
✓ As soon as they arrive in the laboratory.
,How long should you wait before requesting an amniotic fluid sample if no cell
attachment is observed?
✓ 10 days.
All of the following will result in culture failure, except:
✓ Transport at room temperature.
Which cells are ideal for long-term serial cytogenetic studies?
✓ Fibroblasts.
The following enzymes can be used to dissociate chorionic villus samples except
for: -ANSWER✔✔RNAse.
Which of the following is not a necessary ingredient which is added to modified
medium? -ANSWER✔✔Antibiotics.
All of the following have buffering capability except: -ANSWER✔✔L-Glutamine.
What type of media is necessary for the culture of Fragile X cases? -
ANSWER✔✔Folic acid deficient media.
The most important reason why Biological Safety Caninets are used instead of
Horizontal Laminar Flow Hoods in the handling of human tissues is: -
ANSWER✔✔To protect the technologist who is processing the specimen.
In which of the following situations would one suspect bacterial contamination? -
ANSWER✔✔The culture media is turbid in appearance.
,Which of the following can be used for serial culture from amniotic fluid? -
ANSWER✔✔Fibroblasts.
Which of the following chemicals is used for cryopreservation? -
ANSWER✔✔Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
Adding the drug Colcemid to cell cultures can cause all of the following
phenomenons to occur except: -ANSWER✔✔Cell swelling.
During slidemaking all of the following factors are important except for: -
ANSWER✔✔Slides are 1st being dipped in acetic acid.
A good banding pattern will be expected when we observe chromosomes before
banding under the phase scope with the following appearance: -
ANSWER✔✔Dark.
Which of the following factors are not important for chromosome spreading? -
ANSWER✔✔Mitotic index.
The best method to process slides for G-banding on the same day that they are
dropped is: -ANSWER✔✔Incubate the slide in 90°C for 1-3 hrs before banding.
You are analyzing a clinical case and discover a small extra marker with satellites.
What staining technique would be most useful in determining the chromosomal
origin of this marker? -ANSWER✔✔DAPI/DA.
When using a fluorescein labeled probe during the FISH procedure, the appropriate
counter stain used should be: -ANSWER✔✔Propidium iodide.
, When doing sequential staining which of the following is used to remove oil from
slides? -ANSWER✔✔Xylene.
What is the best banding technique to distinguish between 47,XY,+18 and
47,XYY? -ANSWER✔✔QFQ.
When the identification of paired chromosomes is the primary goal, which if the
following banding techniques should be used? -ANSWER✔✔G-banding.
When the addition of non homologous material to the q-arm of chromosome 16 is
suspected after G-banding, which if the following banding techniques should be
used? -ANSWER✔✔C-banding.
Which chromosome is most different between C- and G-banding? -
ANSWER✔✔9.
What is not a criteria for G-band identification? -ANSWER✔✔Location of the
telomere.
What do quinacrine and acridine orange dyes stain? -ANSWER✔✔AT rich DNA.
What type of container should be used for collecting peripheral blood and bone
marrow specimens? -ANSWER✔✔Green top tube coated with sodium heparin.
What type of container should be used for collecting solid tissue samples? -
ANSWER✔✔A sterile container containing media, supplemented with antibiotics.
CYTOGENETICS) QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS 100% CORRECT RATED A+
||NEWLY UPDATED 2025
What are the basics of in situ hybridization?
✓ Pretreatment of slides with acid, extraction of DNA with barium hydroxide,
and incubation in 2xSSC to promote denaturation.
The following are indicators for amniocentesis, except:
✓ A family history of an autosomal recessive disorder.
When a bone marrow sample cannot be delivered to the lab within 4 hours,
what should be done?
✓ The sample should be placed in media and kept at room temperature.
A peripheral blood (PB) sample is clotted. What should be done?
✓ Break up the clot.
All of the following information is required during the specimen setup
procedure, except:
✓ Infectious agent.
When should samples be logged in?
✓ As soon as they arrive in the laboratory.
,How long should you wait before requesting an amniotic fluid sample if no cell
attachment is observed?
✓ 10 days.
All of the following will result in culture failure, except:
✓ Transport at room temperature.
Which cells are ideal for long-term serial cytogenetic studies?
✓ Fibroblasts.
The following enzymes can be used to dissociate chorionic villus samples except
for: -ANSWER✔✔RNAse.
Which of the following is not a necessary ingredient which is added to modified
medium? -ANSWER✔✔Antibiotics.
All of the following have buffering capability except: -ANSWER✔✔L-Glutamine.
What type of media is necessary for the culture of Fragile X cases? -
ANSWER✔✔Folic acid deficient media.
The most important reason why Biological Safety Caninets are used instead of
Horizontal Laminar Flow Hoods in the handling of human tissues is: -
ANSWER✔✔To protect the technologist who is processing the specimen.
In which of the following situations would one suspect bacterial contamination? -
ANSWER✔✔The culture media is turbid in appearance.
,Which of the following can be used for serial culture from amniotic fluid? -
ANSWER✔✔Fibroblasts.
Which of the following chemicals is used for cryopreservation? -
ANSWER✔✔Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
Adding the drug Colcemid to cell cultures can cause all of the following
phenomenons to occur except: -ANSWER✔✔Cell swelling.
During slidemaking all of the following factors are important except for: -
ANSWER✔✔Slides are 1st being dipped in acetic acid.
A good banding pattern will be expected when we observe chromosomes before
banding under the phase scope with the following appearance: -
ANSWER✔✔Dark.
Which of the following factors are not important for chromosome spreading? -
ANSWER✔✔Mitotic index.
The best method to process slides for G-banding on the same day that they are
dropped is: -ANSWER✔✔Incubate the slide in 90°C for 1-3 hrs before banding.
You are analyzing a clinical case and discover a small extra marker with satellites.
What staining technique would be most useful in determining the chromosomal
origin of this marker? -ANSWER✔✔DAPI/DA.
When using a fluorescein labeled probe during the FISH procedure, the appropriate
counter stain used should be: -ANSWER✔✔Propidium iodide.
, When doing sequential staining which of the following is used to remove oil from
slides? -ANSWER✔✔Xylene.
What is the best banding technique to distinguish between 47,XY,+18 and
47,XYY? -ANSWER✔✔QFQ.
When the identification of paired chromosomes is the primary goal, which if the
following banding techniques should be used? -ANSWER✔✔G-banding.
When the addition of non homologous material to the q-arm of chromosome 16 is
suspected after G-banding, which if the following banding techniques should be
used? -ANSWER✔✔C-banding.
Which chromosome is most different between C- and G-banding? -
ANSWER✔✔9.
What is not a criteria for G-band identification? -ANSWER✔✔Location of the
telomere.
What do quinacrine and acridine orange dyes stain? -ANSWER✔✔AT rich DNA.
What type of container should be used for collecting peripheral blood and bone
marrow specimens? -ANSWER✔✔Green top tube coated with sodium heparin.
What type of container should be used for collecting solid tissue samples? -
ANSWER✔✔A sterile container containing media, supplemented with antibiotics.
