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Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Preparation of Meiotic Chromosome Spreads from Mouse Spermatocytes
Published on: November 22, 2017
The biochemistry of early meiotic recombination intermediates
J Brooks Crickard1, Eric C Greene1
1a Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA.
Abstract:
Meiosis is the basis for sexual reproduction and is marked by the sequential reduction of chromosome number during successive cell cycles, resulting in four haploid gametes. A central component of the meiotic program is the formation and repair of programmed double strand breaks. Recombination-driven repair of these meiotic breaks differs from recombination during mitosis in that meiotic breaks are preferentially repaired using the homologous chromosomes in a process known as homolog bias. Homolog bias allows for physical interactions between homologous chromosomes that are required for proper chromosome segregation, and the formation of crossover products ensuring genetic diversity in progeny. An important aspect of meiosis in the differential regulation of the two eukaryotic RecA homologs, Rad51 and Dmc1. In this review we will discuss the relationship between biological programs designed to regulate recombinase function.
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