Three-dimensional positioning and structure of chromosomes in a human prophase nucleus.

Abstract in brief

• This study presents a detailed 3D imaging of the human prophase nucleus, revealing the positioning, shape, and organization of chromosomes at a resolution of about 50 nm, and shows that chromosomes follow specific territorial patterns within the nucleus.
• It describes that at the lowest level, DNA wraps around histone proteins forming nucleosomes, which further compact into chromosomes with known structures visible under light microscopy, but their higher-order 3D organization was not well understood until now.
• The research suggests a new way to identify individual human chromosomes based on their 3D shapes and positions, contributing to our understanding of chromosome architecture during cell division.]