Effects of the male contraceptive agent gossypol on meiotic chromosomes of the male rat.

Synaptonemal complexes (SCs) of rat spermatocytes were analyzed in silver-stained meiotic preparations 10-24 days after treatment with gossypol acetic acid, 30 mg/kg/day, for 70 days. Gossypol did not affect SC formation or function, as judged by the absence of pairing anomalies, SC fragmentation, or presynaptic arrest. The unpaired lateral axes could be seen at zygotene, and at pachytene normal SCs could be observed. The behavior of the XY axes also appeared to be normal.