Meiotic studies and synaptonemal complex analysis in two infertile males with a 13/14 balanced translocation.
Meiotic and synaptonemal complex studies by light and electron microscopy have been carried out in two infertile males with a balanced 13/14 translocation. As expected, all metaphase I figures in conventional meiotic preparations contained a chain trivalent. Synaptonemal complex studies showed typical trivalent images with incomplete pairing of the acrocentric elements in the cis configuration. A review of the literature shows that the fertility of these patients is quite variable. All of them show a slightly reduced number of chiasmata (mean 46.6). Pairing in cis, as detected by electron microscopic studies, does not seem to have a prognostic value.
D000328:Adult; D002901:Chromosomes, Human, 13-15 / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology; D014178:Translocation, Genetic