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PMID: 85513 Published · ppublish English Comparative Study Journal Article

Pattern of activity of nucleolus organizers during spermatogenesis in mammals as analyzed by silver-staining.

Chromosoma ·Vol. 71 ·No. 2 ·1979-02-21 ·Pages 197-216

Hofgärtner FJ, Schmid M, Krone W, Zenzes MT, Engel W

Abstract

Silver-staining in the nuclei and chromosomes of spermatogenesis of four species of mammals (Man, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, and Cavia cobaya) was investigated qualitatively and quantitatively. These species show a very similar pattern of activity of the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) during the various stages of spermatogenesis. Silver precipitates are detectable in growing spermatogonia and up until the pachytene stage of meiotic prophase. During the meiotic metaphases I and II and during interkinesis silver-stainability disappears completely. A resumpton of silver-stainability occurs in round spermatids indicating a postmeiotic reactivation of NORs. This process does not persist beyond the early elongation phase. The quantitative determination of the silver-covered areas in relation to the total nuclear areas reveals minor differences between the species investigated with regard to the times and extents of maximum activation. The known localizations of the NORs in the karyotypes of the species investigated was confirmed using metaphase-preparations derived from somatic tissues.

MeSH Terms
Animals Cell Nucleolus Chromosomes/ultrastructure Genes Guinea Pigs Humans Male Mice Rats Silver Species Specificity Spermatogenesis Staining and Labeling
Chemicals
Silver
Authors & Affiliations
5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Hofgärtner F J
Schmid M
Krone W
Zenzes M T
Engel W
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41 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Chromosoma
Abbr.
Chromosoma
ISSN
0009-5915
DOI
10.1007/BF00292823
Published
1979-02-21
Pages
197-216
Language
English
Region
Austria
NLM ID
2985138R
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1007/BF00292823 View journal details
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