AN ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF THE SYNAPTONEMAL COMPLEX

The chromosomal structure which is specific for meiosis, the synaptonemal complex (SC), plays a major role in chromosome pairing and the recombination of genetic material. The SC was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results of this study confirm the results of light and electron microscopic studies of the SC. The SC primarily shows a tripartite structure, composed of two lateral elements and a central element connected to each other by transversal elements. The lateral element of the SC shows a lateral subdivision in secondary lateral strands. In addition, a new repetitive transversal subdivision of the lateral elements was observed. Furthermore, the SC substructure which is probably responsible for recombination, the recombination nodule, could be observed ouside the confines of the SC.