RT Journal
A1 Culbertson JC, Breslau NA, Moore M, Engel E
T1 SEx chromatin determination from hair
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1969
FD January 20
VO 207
IS 3
SP 560
OP 561
DO 10.1001/jama.1969.03150160072023
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1969.03150160072023
AB To the Editor:— 
    The study of the sex chromatin pattern has become an important diagnostic tool in clinical medicine. A technique recently introduced1 for obtaining this information in a rapid, simple manner is evaluated.The method uses the cells of the root sheath of a capital hair. The hair is pulled, stained with freshly filtered aceto-orcein for approximately 30 seconds at 65 C and inspected under a magnifying glass to show the structures (Fig 1, A). With the blade of a scalpel, the bulb is removed (Fig 1, B) and the root sheath (a cylinder of cells) slipped off the shaft (Fig 1, C). With practice the cylindrical sheath can be obtained without fibrous material. The root sheath is stained with aceto-orcein to impart clarity to the nuclear structures. This material is compressed under a coverslip to obtain a monolayer of cells. In a suitable area, hundreds of cell