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Electron microscopic identification of sex chromatin bodies of tissue culture cells

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Summary

A method is described for the unequivocal identification of sex chromatin bodies in electron micrographs of thin sections of tissue culture cells derived from human skin. Fibers, rodlets, and circular profiles having a similar diameter of about 200 Å appear to be the only components of the sex chromatin bodies. The fibers and rodlets are sometimes resolvable into two similar subunits and the circular profiles often have a less electron dense center. The overall density of sex chromatin bodies is found to be considerably less than that of metaphase chromosomes. The fibers of the sex chromatin bodies found lying away from the nuclear periphery appear to be organized more compactly than the fibers of the sex chromatin bodies found lying at the nuclear periphery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    David R. Wolstenholme

  2. Max-Planck-Insttut für Biologie, Abt. Beermann, 74 Tübingen, 34, Spemannstr

    David R. Wolstenholme

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  1. David R. Wolstenholme
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This paper is based on investigations supported by a research grant No. GM-04738 from the National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, to Dr. H. Ris, Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin.

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Wolstenholme, D.R. Electron microscopic identification of sex chromatin bodies of tissue culture cells. Chromosoma 16, 453–462 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343173

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343173

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