MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Buccal smear

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Buccal smear

A buccal smear is a test where cells are taken from the tongue. Cells are collected by scraping the tongue with a spatula. The cells are then placed on a slide and the sample is taken to the laboratory for evaluation. The cells are evaluated for the presence of Barr bodies (a mass seen in a normal female sex chromosome). The buccal smear test can confirm whether the patient is a male or female.

Update Date: 12/11/2006

Updated by: Brian Kirmse, MD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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