The central region of the synaptonemal complex revealed in three dimensions.

The synaptonemal complex plays a key role in pairing of homologous chromosomes during meiosis. Its gross structure was already known by conventional electron microscopy, but only recently has it been possible to reveal the synaptonemal complex in three dimensions at higher resolution by electron microscope tomography. As the molecular analysis of meiosis is developing rapidly, a more thorough understanding of the principal organization of the synaptonemal complex is essential.