Response of murine spermatocytes to the metaphase-arresting effect of several mitotic arrestants

Three mitotic arrestants, colchicine, Colcemid and vinblastine, were evaluated for their effects on producing meiotic arrest in the laboratory mouse. Colchicine is the most effective and its effect is both dose- and time-dependent. Treatment of mice with 40 mg/kg of colchicine for 3 h resulted in drastic improvement of the yield and quality of M-II figures. This treatment did not appear to increase the aneuploidy frequency in M-II's.