Organization of the Y chromosome in testis cells of fetal, subadult and adult mice as determined by in situ hybridization.
In order to reveal the time-course of decondensation of the Y chromosome in Sertoli cells, testes preparations of fetal, subadult and adult laboratory mice in different developmental stages were hybridized in situ with biotinylated probe pY353/B, which binds along the entire long arm of the mouse Y chromosome. All fetal and subadult testicular cells exhibited tightly compacted hybridization signals, indicating highly condensed Y chromosomes. Diffuse signals, indicating decondensation of the Y chromosome were found for the first time in the structurally differentiated Sertoli cells of 35 to 40 day old animals. Since this coincides with the appearance of mature sperm nuclei, a correlation between decondensation of the Y chromosome and its activity in sperm maturation and/or sperm motility can be presumed.
Guttenbach
M
M
Institut für Humangenetik, Universität, Würzburg, Germany.
Winking
H
H
Schmid
M
M
D000818:Animals; D015342:DNA Probes; D005333:Fetus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000235:genetics; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000235:genetics; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D015342:DNA Probes