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Changes of the synaptonemal complex at the end of pachytene

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Summary

Observations on the changes of the synaptonemal complex at the end of pachytene and in diplotene are reported. The synaptonemal complex disintegrates in diplotene by progressive disjoining of the lateral arms. The structures of the pairing space disappear. A residual piece of the synaptonemal complex is interpreted as a transitional stage of the process of disintegration. The lateral arms form single threads which disappear at the end of diplotene. No doubleness of the lateral arms can be detected, except a splitting in 3–4 laminae in the region near the fixation points at the nuclear envelope. The lateral arms do not separate in subunits at the end of the meiotic prophase. Chiasmata can not be recognized.

Zusammenfassung

Beobachtungen über die Veränderungen des synaptonemalen Komplexes am Ende des Pachytäus und im Diplotän werden mitgeteilt. Im Diplotän löst sich der synaptonemale Komplex durch fortschreitende Trennung der lateralen Arme. Die Strukturen des Paarungs-Raumes verschwinden. Ein Rest des synaptonemalen Komplexes wird als Übergangsstadium im Laufe des Desintegrations-Prozesses gedeutet. Die lateralen Arme bilden Einzelstränge, die am Ende des Diplotäns verschwinden. Eine Verdopplung des lateralen Armes kann nicht entdeckt werden; lediglich in der Nähe des Fixationspunktes an der Nuclearmembran findet sich eine Aufspaltung in 3–4 Lamellen. Am Ende der meiotischen Prophase trenne sich demnach die lateralen Arme nicht in Untereinheiten. Chiasmata sind nicht erkennbar.

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This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

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Schleiermacher, E., Schmidt, W. Changes of the synaptonemal complex at the end of pachytene. Hum Genet 19, 235–245 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278396

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278396

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