Determination of the Karyotype of sheep (Ovis aries, L.) raised in Brazil

Abstract

This study was conducted aiming to give elements for determination of the karyotype of sheep (Ovis aries, L) raised in Brazil. Six males, not cast rated, Ideal crossbred, at eight to nine months of age, were used, belonging to the College of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, SP. The lynphocytes culture followed the MORHEAD and cols, technics, modified by FERRARI. Good quality metaphases were photomicrographed for Karyotype mounting. The SCHERES technics, modified, was used for G bands . The diploid number of 54 chromosome was confirmed. There were no difficulties, for Karyotype mounting, toward the six large metacentric autosomes and sexual chromosomes, browever for the 46 acrocentric antosomes , only with G banding should be attained a certain degree of confidence the determination of a banding pattern was not obtained, being suggested new investigations on this matter.