Sex vesicle-associated nucleolar organizers in mouse spermatocytes: localization, structure, and function

Knibiehler, Bernard; Mirre, C.; Hartung, M; Jean, P; Stahl, A; Lanversin, Anne de; Soler, Marie‐Noëlle

doi:10.1159/000131625

Cited by 29 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In non-Robertsonian reciprocal translocations, acrocentric chromosomes are frequently involved in cases of male infertility, but a relatively low rate of autosome–sex body association has been observed in reciprocal translocations not involved in acrocentric chromosomes (Chandley et al, 1986; Guichaoua et al, 1990). The close proximity of the sex body and nucleolus during pachytene stage might affect the susceptibility of MSUC to Robertsonian translocations (Knibiehler et al, 1981; Tsutsumi et al, 2011). …”

Section: Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Failure of homologous synapsis and sex-specific reproduction problems

Kurahashi¹,

Kogo²,

Tsutsumi³

et al. 2012

Front. Gene.

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The prophase of meiosis I ensures the correct segregation of chromosomes to each daughter cell. This includes the pairing, synapsis, and recombination of homologous chromosomes. A subset of chromosomal abnormalities, including translocation and inversion, disturbs these processes, resulting in the failure to complete synapsis. This activates the meiotic pachytene checkpoint, and the gametes are fated to undergo cell cycle arrest and subsequent apoptosis. Spermatogenic cells appear to be more vulnerable to the pachytene checkpoint, and male carriers of chromosomal abnormalities are more susceptible to infertility. In contrast, oocytes tend to bypass the checkpoint and instead generate other problems, such as chromosome imbalance that often leads to recurrent pregnancy loss in female carriers. Recent advances in genetic manipulation technologies have increased our knowledge about the pachytene checkpoint and surveillance systems that detect chromosomal synapsis. This review focuses on the consequences of synapsis failure in humans and provides an overview of the mechanisms involved. We also discuss the sexual dimorphism of the involved pathways that leads to the differences in reproductive outcomes between males and females.

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Section: Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Failure of homologous synapsis and sex-specific reproduction problems

Kurahashi¹,

Kogo²,

Tsutsumi³

et al. 2012

Front. Gene.

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“…1). The large nucleolar mass associated with the inner side of the XY body at late pachytene (Knibiehler et al, 1981) shows differential reactivity over different structural components. The stronger reactivity is given by the fibrillar component while the granular component shows less silver deposits.…”

Section: Primary Spermatocytes At Prophasementioning

confidence: 99%

An ?axis-like? material in the centromeric region of metaphase-I chromosomes from mouse spermatocytes

Tandler

Solari

1991

Genetica

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This study reports the persistence of axis-like structures in the centromeric region of both homologues during the metaphase-I and anaphase-I stages of meiotic division of mouse spermatocytes. A novel type of silver 'argentaffin' technique (NH4-Ag) is employed. This technique includes the treatment of glutaraldehyde-fixed tissues with dilute ammonium hydroxide followed by a reduction of aldehyde groups with sodium borohydride. Staining is accomplished with ammoniacal silver nitrate in darkness followed by sulfite washing. The lateral elements of synaptonemal complexes and the single chromosomal axes of diplotene spermatocytes show a prominent reactivity with this technique. The pattern of very small grains over condensed chromatin is uniform and gives only a light opacity to the electron beam. The presence of an axis-like structure is seen in every centromeric end of meiotic chromosomes at metaphase I and anaphase I. The chromatin (heterochromatin) that surrounds the centromeric filament and some material distributed in irregular linear arrays along some of the homologues also showed a higher electron opacity than the bulk of deoxyribonucleoprotein. While the former is related to C+ heterochromatin, the latter could represent dispersed material of diplotene axes. It is suggested that the disposal of axial material is differentially delayed at the centromeric regions. The present evidence supports the hypothesis that axial fragments or lateral-element segments persisting at these regions contribute to the cohesiveness of centromeres of sister chromatids during normal disjunction.

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“…Meiotic associations between nucleolar bivalents and the XY pair have also been observed in human (Solari and Tres 1970;Stahl et al 1984;Berrios and Fern~ndez-Donoso 1985), as in other mammalian, meiocytes (Fern~indez-Donoso et al 1979;Kierszenbaum and Tres 1974;Hofgartner et al 1979;Knibiehler et al 1981). It has been suggested that nucleolar-XY associations in human meiocytes would be produced by the tendency of the heterochromatin present in these chromosomes to coalesce (Solari and Tres 1970;Stahl et al 1984).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Nuclear architecture of human pachytene spermatocytes: quantitative analysis of associations between nucleolar and XY bivalents

Berríos

Fernández-Donoso²

1990

Hum Genet

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Nucleolar association and heterochromatin coalescence have both been invoked as mechanisms involved in the origin of chromosomal associations between nucleolar bivalents themselves, as well as between these bivalents and the XY pair, during meiotic prophase in human spermatocytes. However, these mechanisms do not satisfactorily explain how associating bivalents meet each other within the nuclear space. To elucidate this problem, we have characterized different types of nucleolar-nucleolar and nucleolar-XY bivalent associations, and their frequencies, in light and electron microscope serial sections of spermatocyte nuclei. In the pachytene nucleus, nucleolar bivalent associations were found to involve only one nucleolar sphere of RNP granules connected through a fibrillar center to a chromatin mass composed of two, or more, nucleolar-bivalent short arms. Structural relationships between these elements were examined using 3D computer models of various nucleolar associations. XY and nucleolar bivalents were usually located towards the nuclear periphery associated with the inner face of the nuclear envelope. Some nucleolar bivalents, whether single or associated appeared beside or over XY chromatin. When nucleolar-bivalent short arms (BK) were found over nucleolar or over XY chromatin, their telomeres were unattached to the nuclear envelope and the corresponding synaptonemal complexes were not observed. Ninety nucleoli were found in sixty pachytene nuclei. Thirty six percent of these nucleoli were bound to associated BKs and the remaining 64% to single BKs. Over 40% of individual spermatocytes showed at least one cluster of associated BKs and about 20% presented single or multiple BKs associated with the XY pair. The frequencies of random BK associations, over the total or restricted areas of the nuclear envelope, were calculated according to a probabilistic nuclear model. A correspondence was found in comparing the observed frequencies of associated BKs with those calculated on the basis of bouquet formation. Such an analysis strongly suggests that the occurrence of associations between nucleolar bivalents may arise at random within the bouquet. Thus, the architecture of the meiocyte nucleus, particularly the organization of the bouquet, may be the primary mechanism by which nucleolar bivalents meet each other and, consequently, become associated either through common nucleolus formation or by heterochromatin coalescence.

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Sex vesicle-associated nucleolar organizers in mouse spermatocytes: localization, structure, and function

Cited by 29 publications

References 11 publications

Failure of homologous synapsis and sex-specific reproduction problems

Failure of homologous synapsis and sex-specific reproduction problems

An ?axis-like? material in the centromeric region of metaphase-I chromosomes from mouse spermatocytes

Nuclear architecture of human pachytene spermatocytes: quantitative analysis of associations between nucleolar and XY bivalents

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