Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🧬 With giant chromosomes 🧬 A giant chromosome
polytene

polytene

9.9
Having very large chromosomes with many parallel strands in insect cells
  • adjective
  • /ˈpɒlɪtiːn/
  • Specialized
: politeno
  • In some insect larvae, the salivary gland cells contain large polytene chromosomes.

Examples

  • The unique structure of polytene chromosomes makes them useful for genetic mapping.

  • The polytene chromosomes are visible under a microscope.

  • Researchers observed polytene chromosomes under the microscope to study gene expression in fruit flies.

  • In Drosophila, polytene chromosomes play a crucial role in development.

  • Researchers observed polytene chromosomes under the microscope to study gene expression in fruit flies.

  • In some insect larvae, the salivary gland cells contain large polytene chromosomes.

  • The unique structure of polytene chromosomes makes them useful for genetic mapping.

Surface Forms

polytene positive

Morphology

polytene = poly + tene

The classical prefix poly- 'many' gives only a partial clue, and the remaining technical element does not let an average learner infer the chromosomal meaning.

Etymology

Polytene comes from the Greek parts poly- meaning 'many' (as in polygon) and -tene which suggests 'threads' or 'strands'. A helpful way to remember it is that polytene chromosomes look like many side-by-side 'threads', so the adjective describes chromosomes with many copies.