Summary
The effect of actinomycin D on the chromatoid body of rat spermatids has been studied by light and electron microscopy, high resolution autoradiography and biochemical methods.
Actinomycin D caused structural changes in the chromatoid body of young round nucleated spermatids. The normal irregularily lobulated chromatoid body acquired a ring-like configuration 12 h after an intratesticular injection of 2 μg of the drug. The labelling of the chromatoid body with 3H-uridine which can normally be seen after 12 h was also abolished by actinomycin D.
These observations lead to the suggestion that the chromatoid body contains a store of long-lived mRNA molecules that are activated later during spermiogenesis when transcription in the spermatid nucleus has ceased but a high level of protein synthesis still persists.
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I am indebted to Mrs. Marita Söderström and Mrs. Leena Simola for their skilful technical assistance during the study
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Söderström, KO. Effect of actinomycin D on the structure of the chromatoid body in the rat spermatids. Cell Tissue Res. 184, 411–421 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00219900
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00219900