Relative position of constitutive heterochromatin and of nucleolar structures during mouse spermiogenesis

Abstract

In this study, the selective fluorochrome staining of constitutive heterochromatin and a specific ultrastructural silver-staining of nucleolar material (i.e., the nucleolus organizing regions) were undertaken to be used as indicators for the chromosomal arrangement during mouse spermiogenesis. Since in mice all somatic chromosomes are telocentric and the constitutive heterochromatin and nucleolar organizing regions are closely associated to the centromeres, this combination of techniques provided for the first time ultrastructural evidence 1) for the dispersion of the constitutive heterochromatic chromocentre and a centrifugal migration to the postacrosomal portion of the nuclear envelope where constitutive heterochromatin seems to mediate the assembling of microtubules in the so-called manchette. As elongation continues, the constitutive heterochromatin migrates back into central position and forms the "focous of earlier condensing chromatin", which initiates further chromatin condensation. 2) The fate of the nucleolus during spermiogenesis could also be further clarified: The nucleolus is first associated with the chromocentre, but starts to disintegrate during elongation phase. However, argyrophilic remnants are still visible in the centre of the nucleus, pointing to an ongoing transcriptional activity. When they final disappear, they leave behind "nuclear vacuoles" in the dense chromatin mass of the mature sperm nucleus.