Buccal Smear for Barr Bodies Test

The inactive X chromosome in a female cell is known as a barr body. This inactivation of the chromosome is caused due to the process of lyonization. The barr body is responsible for indicating the existence of the sex hormone. The buccal smear barr body test is performed to identify the inactive X-chromosome in the female cells and compare them with the male cells. It examines the cell structures. The test defines a barr body as round disk stuck to the nuclear membrane. This test is performed on a scrap of tissue collected from the lining of the mouth.

There is no special preparation required for the test.

The buccal smear test identifies the presence of barr bodies in the female cells. It is useful in determining whether the patient is male or female. The test is useful in the sense that it collects the sample without any physical examination.

You have to thoroughly rinse your mouth with tap wat

er. Then clean it with distilled water. The doctor will scrape off a specimen of tissue from the inner lining of your mouth. This tissue is then laid on a clean and dry glass slide. The doctor will add around 95% alcohol in the tissue. It will be stained using carbol fuchsin after 5 minutes. After about 20 minutes, the slide has to be cleaned with distilled water and observed under a microscope.