Role of Chromosome Territories in the Functional Compartmentalization of the Cell Nucleus

At the turn of this century, a few cytologists proposed the idea of a territorial organization of chromosomes in the cell nucleus of animal and plant species (Rabl 1885; Strasburger 1905; Boveri 1909) (Figs. 1A and 2A). While most of their scientific peers believed that chromosomes were temporary structures being