Chromosome behaviour during early meiotic prophase of mouse primary spermatocytes

A correlative light- and electron microscopical study has yielded both a description of chromosome behaviour during early meiotic prophase in mouse spermatocytes, and an accurate timing of the zygotene and early pachytene stage. The light microscopic part of the study consists of an analysis of orcein stained or C-banded, air-dried preparations, and series of separately squashed sections of seminiferous tubules. The mice used for air-dried preparations were treated with hyroxyurea and triaziquone, which reduces the spermatocyte population to a small, well-defined group of cells in meiotic interphase. The development of the restricted spermatocyte population is followed during four days. The electron microscopical study consists of an investigation of synaptonemal complexes in thin sections of seminiferous tubules in various stages of the epithelial cycle. It turned out that synaptic pairing starts about half a day after the end of the DNA replication phase. At most one and a half day later chromosome pairing is completed. In very early pachytene spermatocytes a sex vesicle is not visible. The orientation of the X and Y chromosome into a sex vesicle starts about one day after the beginning of the pachytene stage. The existence of a leptotene stage is discussed. The presence of a pre-leptotene contraction phase in male mice is excluded.