Authors

Zaida Sarrate, Ph.D., Joan Blanco, Ph.D., Francesca Vidal, Ph.D.

Vol 98, Issue 5, Pages 1241-1245

Abstract

Objective:

To analyze if the preferential proximity between acrocentric bivalents and the XY pair described at pachytene was maintained in metaphase I human spermatocytes.

Design:

Proximity frequencies of autosomic bivalents to the sex bivalent were evaluated with the analysis of meiotic preparations combining sequentially standard techniques and Multiplex FISH.

Setting:

Assisted Reproduction Centers and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Patient(s):

Thirty-seven men consulting for fertility problems.

Intervention(s):

Unilateral testicular biopsies.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Proximity frequencies analysis to the XY pair, evaluated individually and grouping bivalents was carried out using a logistical regression model with repeated measures.

Result(s):

Bivalents 22 and 15 were observed more frequently near to the sex bivalent than the others. Significant interindividual differences were not observed.

Conclusions:

Results suggest that bivalents distribution to the metaphase plate is nonrandom. The maintenance of the acrocentric chromosomes proximity to the sex bivalent from pachytene to metaphase I would indicate that the relative bivalents position would be notably preserved. The observation of non-interindividual variability, in spite of different infertility etiology, proposes that nuclear organization pattern remains largely unaffected even if spermatogenesis is compromised.

Read the full text at: http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(12)01846-8/fulltext