The cover image shows Photographs showing germinal vesicle (GV) chromatin configurations from the complete SN (mouse), partial SN (cattle) and non-SN (goat) species. For definition of the complete SN, partial SN and non-SN species please refer to the text in the Conclusion section. The photos were taken under a fluorescence microscope at a magnification of ×400, following Hoechst 33 342 staining. The position of the nucleolus is indicated by asterisks. (A and B) show mouse germinal vesicles with NSN and SN configurations, respectively. (C–E) show bovine germinal vesicles with NSN, SN and C configurations, respectively. (F–H) show caprine germinal vesicles with GV1 (NSN), GV2n and GV3c configurations, respectively. It should be noted that in the (C) configurations of bovine oocytes (E) as well as in the GVn (G) and GVc (H) configurations of goat oocytes, nucleoli are not surrounded with heterochromatin although the chromatin has condensed into heterochromatin network or clumps in boxes. (See J.-H. Tan et al., 1-9).
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