ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Oogenesis
;
Rhesus monkey
;
Meiotic chromosomes
;
Electron microscopy
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The ovaries of foetal and neonatal rhesus monkeys have been examined with the electron microscope. The fine structure of the germ cells (oogonia; oocytes at the preleptotene, leptotene, zygotene, pachytene and diplotene stages of meiotic prophase) closely resembles that of corresponding human cells. Stages in spontaneous atresia are also described. Cytoplasmic organelles in oogonia are sparse and are grouped mainly at one pole of the nucleus, but become dispersed and more abundant as oogenesis proceeds. The nuclei of oogonia contain a random fibrillar matrix which becomes organized into threads at pre-leptotene. At leptotene these chromosomal threads each contain a dense axial “core”; during zygotene they become loosely paired in a “bouquet” arrangement and at pachytene the bivalents contain synaptinemal complexes. “Single” cores reappear at diplotene, surrounded by a complex fibrillar sheath organized into lateral projections and loops with associated granules: such chromosomes resemble those in human primordial oocytes although they are more diffuse. These findings support the view that at the diplotene stage mammalian oocytes contain chromosomes of the lampbrush type. Observations on the monkey are compared with those on other species, and the ways in which chromosomal organization may influence the radiosensitivity of oocytes is discussed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00306780
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