Synaptonemal complex analysis of B-chromosome behavior in meiotic prophase I in the East-Asiatic mouse Apodemus peninsulae (Muridae, Rodentia)

Cytogenet Cell Genet. 1988;48(3):183-7. doi: 10.1159/000132621.

Abstract

The mitotic and meiotic chromosomes of four male East-Asiatic mice, Apodemus peninsulae, having three to seven chromosomes in addition to the standard karyotype (2n = 48), were investigated. B-chromosomes were represented by medium-sized metacentric and dotlike chromosomes. Mosaicism of bone marrow cells due to a numerical variation of accessory chromosomes was established for the males examined. Capacity of B-chromosomes to form axial elements and synaptonemal complexes in meiotic prophase I was revealed by electron microscopy. The occurrence of univalents of different morphology, bivalents, and multivalents, corresponding to B-chromosomes, was demonstrated. An increase in the number of B-chromosomes was found in spermatocytes at zygotene-pachytene relative to the number in bone marrow cells, which may be evidence of B-chromosome accumulation in the germ cell line of the East-Asiatic mouse.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Karyotyping
  • Male
  • Meiosis*
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Mitosis
  • Muridae / genetics*
  • Prophase
  • Spermatocytes / ultrastructure*
  • Synaptonemal Complex*