Summary
Following a previous study of human fetal oocytes analysed by light and electron microscope microspreading (Speed 1985), a further and more extensive analysis has now been carried out at electron microscope (EM) level. Some new anomalies not previously observed are described. More than one-third of all pachytene oocytes show degeneration (Z-cells) or synaptic errors which might lead to germ cell death. Meiotic pairing anomalies appear to be much more common among oocytes than spermatocytes, and could be a significant factor in the high rate of atresia found between mid-term and birth in the human ovary.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker TG (1963) A quantitative and cytological study of germ cells in human ovaries. Proc R Soc Lond [Biol] 158:417–433
Beaumont HM, Mandl AM (1962) A quantitative and cytological study of oogonia and oocytes in the fetal and neonatal rat. Proc R Soc Lond [Biol] 155:557–579
Bojko M (1983) Human meiosis VIII. Chromosome pairing and formation of the synaptonemal complex in oocytes. Carlsberg Res Commun 48:457–483
Bond DJ, Chandley AC (1983) Aneuploidy. (Oxford monographs on medical genetics, no 11) Oxford University Press, Oxford
Burgoyne PS, Baker TG (1984) Meiotic pairing and gametogenic failure. In: Evans CW, Dickinson HG (eds) controlling events in meiosis. Company of Biologists, Cambridge, pp 349–362
Chandley AC, Goetz P, Hargreave TB, Joseph AM Joseph AM, Speed RM (1984) On the nature and extent of XY pairing at meiotic prophase in man. Cytogenet Cell Genet 38:241–247
Hasenkampf CA (1984) Synaptonemal complex formation in pollen mother cells of Tradescantia. Chromosoma 90:275–284
Holboth P (1981) Chromosome pairing in allohexaploid wheat var. Chinese Spring. Transformation of multivalents into bivalents, a mechanism for exclusive bivalent formation. Carlsberg Res Commun 46:129–173
Holm PB (1977) Three-dimensional reconstruction of chromosome pairing during the zygotene stage of meiosis in Lilium longiflorum (Thunb.). Carlsberg Res Commun 42:103–151
Howell WM, Black DA (1980) Controlled silver-staining of nucleolus organiser regions with a protective colloidal developer: a 1-step method. Experientia 36:1014–1015
Mahadevaiah S, Mittwoch U (1986) Synaptonemal complex analysis in spermatocytes and oocytes of tertiary trisomic Ts (512) 31H mice with male sterility. Cytogenet Cell Genet 41:169–176
Moses MJ (1977) Microspreading and the synaptonemal complex in cytogenetic studies. In: Chapelle A de la, Sorsa M (eds) Chromosomes tody, vol 6. Elsevier/North Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, pp 71–82
Moses MJ, Poorman PA (1981) Synaptonemal complex analysis of mouse chromosomal rearrangements. II. Synaptic adjustment in tandem duplications. Chromosoma 81:519–535
Moses MJ, Counce SJ, Paulson DF (1975) Synaptonemal complex complements of man in spreads of spermatocytes with detail of the sex chromosome pair. Science 187:363–365
Moses MJ, Poorman PA, Polani PA, Crolla JA, Moir F (1982) Synapsis, synaptic adjustment and DNA synthesis in meiotic prophase of mouse oocytes. J Cell Biol 95:77a
Rasmussen SW, Holm PB (1978) Human meiosis. II. Chromosome pairing and recombination nodules in human spermatocytes. Carlsberg Res Commun 43:275–327
Rasmussen SW, Holm PB (1980) Mechanics of meiosis. Hereditas 93:187–216
Sharp PJ (1985) Synaptic adjustment at a C-band heterozygosity. Cytogenet Cell Genet 41:56–57
Speed RM (1982) Meiosis in the fetal mouse ovary. I. An analysis at the light microscope level using surface spreading. Chromosoma 85:427–437
Speed RM (1984) Meiotic configurations in female trisomy 21 fetuses. Hum Genet 66:176–180
Speed RM (1985) The prophase stages in human fetal oocytes studied by light and electron microscopy. Hum Genet 69:69–75
Speed RM (1986a) Prophase pairing in a mosaic 18p-; iso18q human female fetus studied by surface spreading. Hum Genet 72:256–259
Speed RM (1986b) Oocyte development in XO fetuses of man and mouse: the possible role of heterologous X-chromosome pairing in germ cell survival. Chromosoma 94:115–124
Speed RM, Chandley AC (1983) Meiosis in the fetal mouse ovary. II. Oocyte development and age-related ancuploidy. Does a production line exist? Chromosoma 88:184–189
Sung WK, Komatsu M, Jagiello G (1983) A method for obtaining synaptonemal complexes of human pachytene occytes. Caryologia 36:315–324
Wallace BMN, Hultén MA (1983) Triple chromosome synapsis in oocytes from a human fetus with trisomy 21. Ann Hum Genet 47: 271–276
Wallace BMN, Hultén MA (1985) Meiotic chromosome pairing in the normal human female. Ann Hum Genet 49:215–226
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Speed, R.M. The possible role of meiotic pairing anomalies in the atresia of human fetal oocytes. Hum Genet 78, 260–266 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291673
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291673