Translocation (2;15) Karyotype

This karyotype is an example of a balanced translocation between two chromosomes. In this case a large segment in the p, or short arm of the right chromosome 2 has been exchanged with basically the entire q, or long arm of the right chromosome 15. Because the size of the exchanged segments is about equal, this particular structural rearrangement would be almost impossible to detect without banding techniques. The karyotype is written as: 46,XY,t(2;15)(p11.2;q11.2). The key to the karyotype description is as follows:

46: the total number of chromosomes.
XY: the sex chromosomes (male).
t(2;15): translocation between chromosomes 2 and 15.
(p11.2;q11.2): breakpoints in chromosomes 2 (p11.2), and 15 (q11.2) respectively.

The following ideogram gives a detailed illustration of this translocation.

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