Light Microscopical Observations on Surface Spread Synaptonemal Complexes ofAllium Ursinum

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Abstract
Surface spread synaptonemal complexes (SCs) of the wild garlic Allium ursinum were obtained by hypotonic treatment following enzymatic digestion of the pollen mother cell-walls. Analysis of the silver impregnated SCs in the light microscope revealed that their number was mostly about twice the expected number. Possibly, a SC is not developed or only incompletely formed in certain areas and therefore is not continuous within a bivalent. Small thickenings were found in various numbers, distributed irregularly along the SCs. In addition to the SCs, a small round body, stained with silver, is consistently present, which probably corresponds to the inner core of one of the nucleoli.