The structure and function of mammalian synaptonemal complex and human infertility
The assembly of synaptonemal complex between homologous chromosomes is a critical event in meiosis prophase I.As the structural foundation for meiotic chromosome behaviors,synaptonemal complex plays an essential role in supporting and regulating the initiation and repair of programmed DSBs to generate crossovers.Mutations that disrupt the assembly of synaptonemal complex would cause various meiotic defects and activate different meiotic checkpoints to result in spermatogenesis arrest and infertility.In this review,we will summarize the important discoveries related to synaptonemal complex during meiosis in mammals.We will elaborate the composition,structure,assembly and meiotic functions of synaptonemal complex;analyze the relationship between human infertility and mutations on synaptonemal complex components;as well as prospect the direction and hotspot for future research in this area.