Ultrastructure and activity of the nucleolar organizer in the mouse oocyte during meiotic prophase

Abstract

The mouse oocyte is the site of nucleolar synthesis during pachytene. The chromosomes containing a nucleolar organizer are attached to the nuclear envelope by their paracentromeric heterochromatin, either alone or by taking part in the formation of a chromocentre. The nucleolus appears at the junction of the paracentromeric heterochromatin with the euchromatic portion of the bivalent. In this zone, 5·0-nm-diameter fibres, thinner than those of the rest of the chromosome (10·0 nm), extend from the lateral element of the synaptonemal complex up to the nucleolar fibrillar centre in which they penetrate. At the onset of its synthesis, the nucleolus only contains the fibrillar centre and an electron-dense fibrillar component in continuity with the latter. Growth of the nucleolus often takes place in the form of a strand whose proximal end, in contact with the fibrillar centre, is formed by preribosomal fibrils and whose distal end is at first fibrillo-granular then granular. Following brief incorporation of tritiated uridine, nucleolar labelling is active in oogonia. No ribosomal RNA-synthetic activity is revealed during leptotene and zygotene. Incorporation resumes at mid-pachytene, with labelling located over the electron-dense fibrillar component adjacent to the fibrillar centre. These observations suggest that the rDNA is located in both the fibrillar centre and its associated electron-dense fibrillar component and that the rDNA transcription occurs in the latter.