Meiotic chromosomes were isolated from testicles of
16-week-old ganders of European domestic goose according
to the methodology of obtaining meiotic chromosomes
elaborated for cockerels of Gallus domesticus species
(POLLOCK and FECHHEIMER, 1978). Dry preparations were
stained with Giemsa solution for 20 min and assessed
under a light microscope Olympus BX 50. Moreover, the
preparations were stained with silver nitrate following the
technique of HOWELL and BLACK (1980) in order to identify
nucleoli in prophase of the first meiotic division, and with
the DAPI complex (SCHWEIZER et al., 1978) so as to reveal
homologous chromosomes within bivalents.
The computer analysis of the images read in was carried
out using the Multiscan system of image analysis. Out of all
the preparations obtained from 10 ganders only the
fragments with visible structures of typical meioses were
photographed. The analysed and sharpened photographs
were arranged in a logical sequence corresponding to the
course of spermatogenesis in ganders.