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Das Problem der Sexchromatin-negativen Zellen

The problem of sex chromatin negative cells

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Summary

The factors possibly responsible for the occurrence of sexchromatin-negative female cells are reviewed. In such cells, neither of the two X-chromosomes is condensed during interphase; thus the heteropyknosis of one X-chromosome observed in sexchromatinpositive cells is absent.

In somatic cells, the absence of heteropyknosis is not related to the DNA-synthesisperiod and is not correlated with the late replication of one of the X-chromosomes which occurs in all cells, with and without sex chromatin.

The genetic inactivation of one X-chromosome seems to persist in sexchromatin-negative cells. Thus in this respect the objections to the Lyon hypothesis cannot be maintained. Since the genetic inactivity of heterochromatic chromosomes is not due to heteropyknosis, the latter cannot be the cause of their inactivity.

Oocytes and early embryonic cells fall within a special category, in that the genetic inactivation of one of the two X-chromosomes presumably does not occur, also no heteropyknosis of one of the X-chromosomes can be observed.

The formation of a sexchromatin body can be influenced by certain factors such as phase of the cell cycle and cell density. The findings in respect of single-and multi-nucleated cells of Microtus agrestis, here reported, show however that the degree of heteropyknosis of the sex chromosomes within a cell-nucleus is to a large extent fixed and independent of extrinsic factors. It is presumably transmitted through mitosis to the daughter cells.

Zusammenfassung

Die Faktoren, die für das Auftreten Sexchromatin-negativer weiblicher Zellen verantwortlich gemacht werden können, werden zusammenfassend dargestellt. In solchen Zellen ist keines der beiden X-chromosomen während der Interphase stärker kondensiert, d.h., es fehlt die in Sexchromatin-positiven Zellen zu beobachtende Heteropyknose eines X-Chromosoms.

In somatischen Zellen steht des Fehlen der Heteropyknose in keinem Zusammenhang mit der DNS-Synthese-Periode, es ist auch nicht korreliert mit der Spätreplikation eines X-Chromosoms, die in allen Zellen, mit und ohne Sexchromatin, vorhanden ist. Die genetische Inaktivierung eines X-Chromosoms bleibt in Sexchromatin-negativen Zellen offenbar bestehen. Die in dieser Hinsicht gegen die Lyon-Hypothese vorgebrachten Einwände sind nicht aufrechtzuerhalten.. Da die genetische Inaktivität heterochromatischer Chromosomen nicht an die Heteropyknose gebunden ist, kann diese auch nicht die Ursache der Inaktivität sein.

Eine gewisse Sonderstellung nehmen Oocyten und frühembryonale Zellen ein, bei denen die genetische Inaktivierung eines der beiden X-Chromosomen vermutlich nicht stattfindet, und die keine Heteropyknose eines X-Chromosoms erkennen lassen.

Die Ausbildung eines Sexchromatinkörperchens kann durch bestimmte Faktoren, wie Zellcyclusstadium und Zelldichte beeinflußt werden. Die hier vorgelegten eigenen Befunde an ein-und mehrkernigen Zellen von Microtus agrestis ergaben aber, daß der Grad der Heteropyknose der Geschlechtschromosomen innerhalb eines Zellkernes unabhängig von äußeren Faktoren witgehend fixiert ist und bei der Mitose vermutlich auf die Tochterzellen weitergegeben wird.

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  1. Anatomisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Bonn, Deutschland

    H. G. Schwarzacher & F. Pera

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  1. H. G. Schwarzacher
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Herrn Prof. Dr. G. Wolf-Heidegger zum 60. Geburtstag in Dankbarkeit und Verehrung gewidmet.

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Schwarzacher, H.G., Pera, F. Das Problem der Sexchromatin-negativen Zellen. Z. Anat. Entwickl. Gesch. 132, 18–23 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00520950

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