PATTERN OF RIBONUCLEIC-ACID SYNTHESIS IN HUMAN PRIMARY SPERMATOCYTES

RNA synthesis was studied autoradiographically using [H-3]-uridine at different stages of human spermatogenesis and especially at the pachyt ene stage. Morphological and functional evidence have shown the X Chro mosome to be allocyclic relatively to the autosomes, and apparently in active throughout the whole meiosis. No RNA precursor was incorporated by the X at any stage of male meiosis. The authors suggest that this technique could be used in cases of human rearranged chromosomes, in o rder to elucidate the mechanism of spermatogenic breakdown in cases of hypofertility or sterility in humans.