Meiotic and synaptonemal complex studies in a 14/21 translocation carrier.
Meiotic studies in a sterile carrier of a 14/21 translocation showed a meiotic arrest, with degeneration of primary spermatocytes. Silver staining of pachytene cells revealed the presence of a trivalent. Its synaptonemal complex was quite similar to that described in previous light and electron microscopy studied in mammalian species. The observation of a trivalent with pairing in trans-configuration and the presence of desynaptic synaptonemal complexes in early pachytene could explain the relatively high incidence of non-disjunction in human D/G translocations and the spermatogenic disintegration sometimes seen in these cases.
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002901:Chromosomes, Human, 13-15; D002904:Chromosomes, Human, 21-22 and Y; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology; D014178:Translocation, Genetic