Gene linkage in man and Chinese hamster studied in somatic cell hybrids

Genetic studies of higher organisms, including man, are based on the analysis of segregation and recombination events resulting from se>.."Ual reproduction. In 1962 Pontecorvo predicted, however, that cultured cells could also be employed for this purpose. He suggested that parase::\"Ual events, detected in certain fungi, might occur also in 11in vitro11 cultured cells. Now, ten years later, there are strong indications that this prediction will indeed come true.