LIGHT-MICROSCOPE ANALYSIS OF MEIOTIC PROPHASE CHROMOSOMES BY SILVER STAINING

A method is described for the Ag staining of the synaptonemal complex in surface-spread mammalian spermatocytes for light microscope examination. The method is quick, reliable, of broad applicability and provides a means of making karyotype analysis at meiotic prophase. Many hundreds of suitable cells can be examined in an average preparation in a relatively short space of time. So far, the method has been applied only to mammalian spermatocytes, but could be also used for karyotype analysis of mammalian oocytes and non-mammalian gonocytes.