Symplastic communication between the central cell and the egg apparatus cells in the embryo sac of Torenia fournieri Lind. before and during fertilization

Planta ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 211 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Zhen Han ◽  
Bing-Quan Huang ◽  
Sze-Yong Zee ◽  
Ming Yuan
Keyword(s):  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Central Cell ◽  
Torenia Fournieri ◽  
Egg Apparatus

Early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. I. The mature embryo sac

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. Mansfield ◽  
L. G. Briarty ◽  
S. Erni
Keyword(s):  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Mature Embryo ◽  
Central Cell ◽  
Egg Cell ◽  
Cell Cytoplasm ◽  
Intimate Contact ◽  
Egg Apparatus ◽  
Common Wall

Arabidopsis thaliana has a seven-celled eight-nucleate megagametophyte of the Polygonum type; each cell type displays a different form of structural specialization. The egg apparatus cells are highly polarized; the egg has a large micropylar vacuole and chalazally sited nucleus, whereas the opposite is true for the synergids. At the chalazal region of the egg apparatus cells there are no cell wall boundaries, although their plasmalemmas are in intimate contact. The common wall between the two synergids is thin and irregular and contains plasmodesmatal connections. The synergid cytoplasm is rich in organelles; profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum appear in masses of parallel stacked cisternae, and large accumulations of mitochondria occur adjacent to the filiform apparatus. The egg cell cytoplasm is quiescent; ribosome concentration and frequencies of dictyosomes and endoplasmic reticulum are noticeably lower and plastids are poorly differentiated. The central cell is long and vacuolate with a large diploid nucleus; fusion of the polar nuclei occurs prior to embryo sac maturity. The cytoplasm contains numerous starch-containing plastids accumulated in a shell around the nucleus. A high ribosome concentration and the absence of vacuoles and dictyosomes typifies the antipodal cell cytoplasm. All antipodal cells are interconnected by plasmodesmata as well as being connected to the nucellus and central cell. Key words: Arabidopsis, embryo sac, embryogenesis, cell specializations, stereology.

Ultrastructural observations of the mature megagametophyte and the fertilization in wheat (Triticum aestivum)

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruilin You ◽  
William A. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Triticum Aestivum ◽  
Pollen Tube ◽  
Cell Walls ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Mature Embryo ◽  
Central Cell ◽  
The Other ◽  
Egg Cell ◽  
Filiform Apparatus ◽  
Egg Apparatus

The mature embryo sac of wheat contains an egg apparatus composed of an egg cell and two synergids at the micropylar end, a central cell with two large polar nuclei in the middle, and a mass of 20 to 30 antipodals at the chalazal end. A comparison was made of the ultrastructural features of the various cells of the embryo sac. The features included the position of the nucleus and vacuoles, the number, structure, and distribution of organelles, and the extent of the cell walls surrounding each cell. The pollen tube enters one synergid through the filiform apparatus from the micropyle. The penetration and discharge of the pollen tube causes the further degeneration of that synergid, which had already undergone changes before pollination. The second synergid does not change further in appearance following the penetration of the first by the pollen-altered tube. Half an hour after pollination at 20–25 °C, two male nuclei are seen in the cytoplasm of the egg and the central cell. At about 1 h after pollination, one sperm has made contact with the egg nucleus, while the other sperm is fusing with one of the polar nuclei.

Development of a Heat-Inducible Gene Expression System Using Female Gametophytes of Arabidopsis thaliana

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (11) ◽  
pp. 2564-2572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dukhyun Hwang ◽  
Satomi Wada ◽  
Azusa Takahashi ◽  
Hiroko Urawa ◽  
Yasuhiro Kamei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Gene Induction ◽  
Central Cell ◽  
Egg Cell ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Nucleate Cell ◽  
Recombination System ◽  
Induction System

Abstract Female gametophyte (FG) is crucial for reproduction in flowering plants. Arabidopsis thaliana produces Polygonum-type FGs, which consist of an egg cell, two synergid cells, three antipodal cells and a central cell. Egg cell and central cell are the two female gametes that give rise to the embryo and surrounding endosperm, respectively, after fertilization. During the development of a FG, a single megaspore produced by meiosis undergoes three rounds of mitosis to produce an eight-nucleate cell. A seven-celled FG is formed after cellularization. The central cell initially contains two polar nuclei that fuse during female gametogenesis to form the secondary nucleus. In this study, we developed a gene induction system for analyzing the functions of various genes in developing Arabidopsis FGs. This system allows transgene expression in developing FGs using the heat-inducible Cre-loxP recombination system and FG-specific embryo sac 2 (ES2) promoter. Efficient gene induction was achieved in FGs by incubating flower buds and isolated pistils at 35�C for short periods of time (1–5 min). Gene induction was also induced in developing FGs by heat treatment of isolated ovules using the infrared laser-evoked gene operator (IR-LEGO) system. Expression of a dominant-negative mutant of Sad1/UNC84 (SUN) proteins in developing FGs using the gene induction system developed in this study caused defects in polar nuclear fusion, indicating the roles of SUN proteins in this process. This strategy represents a new tool for analyzing the functions of genes in FG development and FG functions.

Development of the ovule and megagametophyte in Ecdeiocolea monostachya

1990 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 265 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Rudall
Keyword(s):  
Pollen Morphology ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Mature Embryo ◽  
Egg Apparatus ◽  
Australian Family ◽  
First Time ◽  
Western Australian

Ovule and megagametophyte development is described for the first time in Ecdeiocoleaceae, a small Western Australian family that has affinities with Restionaceae. The mature embryo sac has an egg apparatus, but other nuclei usually degenerate. The nucellus proliferates at the chalazal end of the embryo sac to forma prominent cup-shaped region that has no obvious homologue among related families in Poales, or tother monocotyledons. The data confirm evidence from anatomy and pollen morphology that Ecdeiocolea does not belong in Restionaceae, but do not indicate obvious relationships with other families.

scholarly journals Isolation of living sperm cells and in vitro fusion of Torenia fournieri gametes

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Vági ◽  
K. Imre ◽  
Z. Kristóf
Keyword(s):  
Male Gametophyte ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Pollen Tubes ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Torenia Fournieri ◽  
Isolation Medium ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Crucial Part

In contrast to most angiosperms, Torenia contains a naked embryo sac and therefore has been considered since many years as an exciting model plant to study the double fertilization process of flowering seed plants. It is thus not surprising that the isolation of protoplasts from the female gametophyte has been reported already 20 years ago by Mol, the isolation of megaspores and megagametophytes has been published by the authors of this manuscript in 1996 and in 1999. The isolation of the male gametophyte and of sperm cells was published by the authors in 2004. The isolation of viable Torenia sperm cells is a crucial part of the elaboration of an in vitro fertilization system. Torenia sperm cells were isolated from in vivo — in vitro cultured pollen tubes. In this system pollen tubes first grow inside a cut style then follow their elongation in a solid isolation medium. The medium contained agarose in order to detain pollen tube contents. Released sperm cells and enzymatically isolated egg cells were collected and handled using glass micropipettes and transmitted to an electrofusion apparatus or polyethylene glycol containing media for fusion probes.

scholarly journals Embryo sac haustorium in Dryas octopetala L. (Rosaceae)

2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romana Czapik
Keyword(s):  
Embryo Sac ◽  
First Record ◽  
Central Cell ◽  
Characteristic Shape ◽  
Dense Cytoplasm ◽  
Dryas Octopetala ◽  
Tatra Mts

The embryo sac haustorium found in <em>Dryas octopetala</em> L. from the Tatra Mts is the first record of its occurrence in <em>Rosaceae</em>. At the eight-nucleate stage of the embryo sac, the antipodal end of the central cell began to grow into a narrow caecum filled with dense cytoplasm and elongated in the chalazal direction leaving the three antipodals in situ. The haustorium enlarged and lost its characteristic shape after the period of fertilization. Finally, the embryo sac occupied almost the whole length of the ovule. Situated at its chalazal end there was either dense cytoplasm with a group of endosperm nuclei or dense, grainy cytoplasm only, if fertilization had not taken place.

scholarly journals Morphology of Postpollination Fruit Abortion in Pecan

1995 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-453
Author(s):  
I.E. Yates ◽  
Darrell Sparks
Keyword(s):  
Embryo Development ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Carya Illinoensis ◽  
Egg Apparatus ◽  
Cellular Endosperm ◽  
Fruit Abortion

Anatomy of normal and abortive fruit was compared at each of the three postpollination fruit drops characteristic of pecan [Carya illinoensis (Wangenh.) C. Koch]. Size differences between normal and abortive fruit decreased during the growing season, but differences in ovule size between normal and abortive fruit increased. During Drop II, normal and abortive fruit had an integument enclosing a massive nucellus in which an embryo sac was embedded, but embryo sac shape and constituents differed. Embryo sacs were distended in normal fruit and contained a definitive zygote as evidence of fertilization, i.e., union of egg and sperm. In contrast, embryo sacs in abortive fruit were shriveled and contained an egg apparatus as in unfertilized distillate flowers. During Drop III, normal and abortive fruit had a similar multicellular embryo. The nucellus in normal fruit was reduced to a cap at the micropyle region and cellular endosperm was evident. In contrast, the nucellus in abortive fruit was abundant and cellular endosperm was not evident. During Drop IV, embryo development in abortive fruit lagged behind that of normal fruit. Thus, we present the first direct evidence that aborted pecans deviate from normal fruit by an absence of a zygote at Drop II, a deficiency in cellular endosperm at Drop III, and a delay in embryo development at Drop IV.

Ultrastructure of the developing embryo sac of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) before and after fertilization

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Yan ◽  
Hong-Yuan Yang ◽  
William A. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Helianthus Annuus ◽  
Embryo Sac ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Central Cell ◽  
Wall Material ◽  
Young Embryo ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Membrane Contact ◽  
Female Germ Unit

The ultrastructure of the embryo sac of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was investigated before and after fertilization. In the young embryo sac, walls were observed that completely surrounded the egg, synergids, and the central cell. However, as maturation continued, the extent of the wall changed. By the time the embryo was mature, the chalazal portion of the walls of the egg and synergids had disappeared so these cells have a plasma membrane to plasma membrane contact. This is also true for the central cell, which has plasma membrane contact with the egg and synergids. However, the chalazal and lateral walls of the central cell become considerably thicker at this time. Before the entry of the pollen tube, the synergid that is located toward the placenta degenerates. After fertilization, a wall forms over the chalazal portion of the zygote and the persistent synergid. The endosperm appears to play an active role in this process, contributing substantial amounts of wall material. However, the wall covering the chalazal portion of the zygote is not complete by the time the zygote divides. In the proembryo, ribosome density increases and lipid bodies decrease in number. The suspensory cell has autophagic vacuoles that encircle some of the organelles. Our results support the concept that the egg, synergids, and central cell form a single functional unit, the female germ unit. Key words: sunflower, ultrastructure, embryo sac, female germ unit.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document