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Spermatogenesis in XY, XYSxr a and XOSxr a mice: A quantitative analysis of spermatogenesis throughout puberty
Author(s) -
Sutcliffe Maxine J.,
Darling Susan M.,
Burgoyne Paul S.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.1080300202
Subject(s) - biology , spermatogenesis , meiosis , prophase , spermatocyte , andrology , metaphase , spermatid , chromosome , medicine , genetics , endocrinology , gene
Adult XYSxr a mice exhibit varying degrees of spermatogenic deficiency but are usually fertile, while XOSxr a mice have severe spermatogenic failure and are always sterile. The present quantitative spermatogenic analysis documents when these anomalies first appear during puberty. The results demonstrate that in XYSxr a mice there was increased degeneration of pachytene spermatocytes and, to a lesser extent, meiotic metaphase stages. On average, there were only one‐half the number of spermatids compared with the XY controls. The defect in XOSxr a mice appeared a little later, with an almost complete arrest and degeneration during the meiotic metaphases, so that the number of spermatids produced was only 3% of the control value. These results are discussed in relation to an hypothesis that links sex chromosome univalence during meiotic prophase with spermatogenic failure.