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Meiosis in Mesostoma ehrenbergii ehrenbergii (Turbellaria, Rhabdocoela)

II. Synaptonemal complexes, chromosome pairing and disjunction in achiasmate oogenesis

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Abstract

Female meiosis in Mesostoma ehrenbergii ehrenbergii is achiasmate. Electron microscope serial section reconstructions of nuclei from the germarium region of the ovary have shown that synaptonemal complex (SC) is present during the early prophase stages. The greatest amounts present were in two nuclei containing 389 and 401 μ respectively. The reconstructions showed that discontinuities in the SC existed along the lengths of the bivalents in these two nuclei which were taken to represent the maximally paired stage, i.e., pachytene. — Reconstructions of post pachytene nuclei showed that SC was absent from the bivalents and therefore retention of SC until metaphase I is not the mechanism used by this achiasmate species to ensure homologous chromosome segregation. An alternative mechanism for this function is proposed based on observations made on the later stages of meiosis in maturing oocytes.

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  1. Department of Genetics, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, England

    Hilary A. Oakley

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  1. Hilary A. Oakley
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Oakley, H.A. Meiosis in Mesostoma ehrenbergii ehrenbergii (Turbellaria, Rhabdocoela). Chromosoma 87, 133–147 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00338485

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