CYTOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF MEIOTIC RECOMBINATION

This article reviews current views on the mechanisms of meiotic homolo gy searching and recombination. It discusses the relationship between molecular events at meiotic prophase and concomitant cytological proce sses. The role of the synaptonemal complex and other meiosis-specific structures is discussed. Whereas the relationship of crossovers, late recombination nodules, and chiasmata is well established, there is sti ll some controversy about the temporal and causal relationships betwee n double strand breaks, homologue recognition, heteroduplexes, early n odules and presynaptic alignment.