An improved chromosome preparation from male gametophyte of Laminaria japonica (Heterokontophyta)

An improved method for the preparation of chromosomes from the male gametophyte of the alga Laminaria japonica Aresch. was described. The male gametophyte was pretreated with pDB (p-dich1orobenzene) and 8- hydroxyquinoline in order to clear cell wall and soften cytoplasm. The samples were treated by mordant iron alum [FeNH4 (S04h ·6H20] followed by staining with haemotoxylin. Well-spread and highly stained chromosomes were observed without precipitation. The chromosome number of male gametophyte of L. japonica was estimated to be 31.