arms of chromosomes 13 and 14 fuse, no significant genetic material is lost—and the person is completely normal in spite of the translocation. Common Robertsonian translocations are confined to the acrocentric chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22, because the short arms of these chromosomes encode for rRNA which is present in multiple copies. Most people with Robertsonian translocations have only 45 chromosomes in each of their cells, yet all essential genetic material is present, and they appear normal. Their children, however, may either be normal, carry the fusion chromosome (depending which chromosome is represented in the gamete), or they may inherit a missing or extra long arm of an acrocentric chromosome (phenotype affected). Genetic counseling and genetic testing is offered to families that may be carriers of chromosomal translocations. Rarely, the same translocation may be present homozygously if heterozygous parents with the same Robertsonian translocation have children. The result may be viable offspring with 44 chromosomes. Outside of humans, Przewalski's horse has 66 chromosomes, while both of domesticated horses and the tarpan have 64 chromosomes and donkeys have 62; it is thought that the difference is due to a Robertsonian translocation. Nomenclature The International System for Human Cytogenomic Nomenclature (ISCN) is an international standard for human chromosome nomenclature, which includes band names, symbols and abbreviated terms used in the description of human chromosome and chromosome abnormalities. Abbreviations include rob for Robertsonian translocations. For example, rob(21;21)(q10;q10) causes Down syndrome. Name Robertsonian translocations are named after the American zoologist and cytogeneticist William Rees Brebner Robertson (1881–1941) who first described a Robertsonian translocation in grasshoppers in 1916. They are also called whole-arm translocations or centric-fusion translocations. References Cytogenetics Chromosomal abnormalities Chromosomal translocations de:Translokation (Genetik)#Robertson-Translokation (Zentrische Fusion)