Figure 4.

Alignment stage and postsynaptic stages in V. berus primary spermatocytes. (a) Alignment stage, spatial alignment of pairs of axial elements of homologous chromosomes located opposite each other. (b) Pachytene, complete synapsis of all 18 bivalents. (c) Mid diplotene, desynapsis of homologues, chiasmata. (d) Late diplotene, diffuse axial elements, unloading of the SYCP3, chiasmata. Heterochromatin region on the chromosome pair 6 is indicated as HR6. Axial elements of chromosomes are immunostained with antibodies against the SYCP3 protein (green), centromeres with antikinetochore antibodies ACA (yellow). Mismatch repair protein sites are immunostained with antibodies against MLH1 protein (red). Chromatin stained with DAPI (blue). Bar—10 μm.