The ultrastructure of somatic embryo development in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum; Poaceae)

The ultrastructure, morphology, and histology of somatic embryogenesis in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) were examined using light and electron microscopic techniques. Somatic embryogenesis was initiated from zygotic embryo explants cultured 8 d after pollination. Formation of a ridge of tissue began 3–4 d after culture (DAC) by divisions in the epidermal and subepidermal cells of the scutellum. Ridge formation was accompanied by a decrease in vacuoles, lipid bodies, and cell size, and an increase in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Proembryonic cell masses (proembryoids) formed from the scutellar ridge by 10 DAC. Proembryoid cells had abundant Golgi bodies and ER while the amounts of lipids and starch varied. Somatic embryos developed from the proembryonic masses 13 DAC and by 21 DAC had all the parts of mature zygotic embryos. Although shoot and root primordia of somatic embryos were always less differentiated than those of zygotic embryos, scutellar cells of somatic and zygotic embryos had similar amounts of lipids, vacuoles, and starch. Somatic scutellar epidermal cells were more vacuolated than their zygotic counterparts. In contrast, somatic scutellar nodal cells were smaller and not as vacuolated as in zygotic embryos. Somatic embryogenesis was characterized by three phases of cell development: first, scutellar cell dedifferentiation with a reduction in lipids and cell and vacuole size; second, proembryoid formation with high levels of ER; and third, the development of somatic embryos that were functionally and morphologically similar to zygotic embryos.     

Quantitative analysis of ultrastructural changes during zygotic and somatic embryogenesis in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.)

Ultrastructural changes during zygotic and somatic embryogenesis in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) were quantified using morphometric techniques. The total area per cell profile and the cell volume percentage of the whole cell, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi bodies, mitochondria, nuclei, lipids, plastids, starch grains and vacuoles were measured and comparisons made between three zygotic and three somatic embryo developmental stages. All measurements were taken from scutellar or scutellar-derived cells. Zygotic embryogenesis was characterized by increases in cell size, lipids, plastids, starch, Golgi bodies, mitochondria and ER. Somatic embryogenesis was characterized by two phases of cell development: (1) the dedifferentiation of scutellar cells involving a reduction in cell and vacuole size and an increase in cell activity during somatic proembryoid formation and (2) the development of somatic embryos in which most cell organelle quantities returned to values found in late coleoptile or mature predesiccation zygotic stages. In summary, although their developmental pathways differed, the scutella of somatic embryos displayed cellular variations which were within the ranges observed for later stages of zygotic embryogenesis.     

Asymmetric cell division of rice zygotes located in embryo sac and produced by in vitro fertilization

In angiosperms, a zygote generally divides into an asymmetric two-celled embryo consisting of an apical and a basal cell. This unequal division of the zygote is a putative first step for formation of the apical–basal axis of plants and is a fundamental feature of early embryogenesis and morphogenesis in angiosperms. Because fertilization and subsequent embryogenesis occur in embryo sacs, which are deeply embedded in ovular tissue, in vitro fertilization of isolated gametes is a powerful system to dissect mechanisms of fertilization and post-fertilization events. Rice is an emerging molecular and experimental model plant, however, profile of the first zygotic division within embryo sac and thus origin of apical–basal embryo polarity has not been closely investigated. Therefore, in the present study, the division pattern of rice zygote in planta was first determined accurately by observations employing serial sections of the egg apparatus, zygotes and two-celled embryos in the embryo sac. The rice zygote divides asymmetrically into a two-celled embryo consisting of a statistically significantly smaller apical cell with dense cytoplasm and a larger vacuolated basal cell. Moreover, detailed observations of division profiles of zygotes prepared by in vitro fertilization indicate that the zygote also divides into an asymmetric two-celled embryo as in planta. Such observations suggest that in vitro-produced rice zygotes and two-celled embryos may be useful as experimental models for further investigations into the mechanism and control of asymmetric division of plant zygotes.     

Development of white spruce somatic embryos: II. Continual shoot meristem development during germination

Summary This study compares the development of shoot apical meristems of white spruce somatic and zygotic embryos during germination. In mature somatic embryos, the functional part of the shoot apical meristem was bi-layered. After partial drying, a normal shoot meristem was formed from these two cell layers during germination. Other cells within the meristem were vacuolated and separated by intercellular air spaces. In the absence of the partial drying treatment, somatic embryos enlarged in size primarily due to vacuolation of cells and the formation of large intercellular air spaces. A majority of these somatic embryos failed to form a functional shoot apical meristem. Compared with somatic embryos, the shoot apical meristem of a mature zygotic embryo was well organized with a densely cytoplasmic apical layer. The cells within the meristem were tightly packed. Judging from the cell profiles during germination, all cells within the meristem of the zygotic embryo took part in the formation of the vegetative shoot apical meristem.     

Pelargonium embryogenesis: cytological investigations of organelles in early embryogenesis from the egg to the two-celled embryo

. Changes in the distribution of organelles and organelle-DNA in Pelargonium zonale from the mature egg cell stage to the first zygotic division during the early stages of embryogenesis were investigated using electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The mature egg is a large, polarized bulbous-shaped cell, tapering toward its micropylar end. The wide chalazal region has a large nucleus that is surrounded by cytoplasm containing many giant mitochondria and large amyloplasts. The mitochondria contain a large amount of mitochondrial DNA and appear as long stretched rods or complex rings, sometimes consisting of several concentric or half-concentric circles in sections. The time from pollination to cell fusion is approximately 6-9 h and it is 20-24 h until the first zygotic division. The changes in the zygote and its organelles preparatory to division occur in 3 stages. At stage 1 (6-9 h after pollination), cell fusion occurs and the zygote begins to elongate. Many vacuoles of varying size appear surrounding the nucleus. At stage 2 (9-15 h), the zygote nucleus migrates to a central position in the cell and the mitochondria form a single ring that becomes either irregularly crushed or appears as long thin strings. Amyloplasts exhibit a gradual decrease in the number of starch grains. At stage 3 (15-20 h), the vacuoles disappear, except for a few that remain in the micropylar region, and cell size decreases. Mitochondria become short, fine strings or small rings. Amyloplasts with starch grains are no longer observed, but are transformed into large proplastids. Following the first division of the zygote, approximately equal-sized apical and basal cells are formed. Short rod-shaped or small ring-shaped mitochondria are randomly distributed near the nucleus of the apical cell, whereas mitochondria in the basal cell are long and rod-shaped. In the electron microscope, two types of plastids can be distinguished: dark oval plastids originating from the sperm cell, which are observed in both the apical and basal cell, and others with a less dense, amorphous matrix, believed to originate from egg amyloplasts, which are unevenly distributed in the micropylar region of the basal cell. Fluorometry using a video-intensified microscope photon counting system reveals that, correlated with changes in mitochondrial morphology, DNA amount within the mitochondrion decreases linearly during these stages.     

Tobacco zygotic embryogenesis in vitro: the original cell wall of the zygote is essential for maintenance of cell polarity, the apical-basal axis and typical suspensor formation

We have developed a reliable in vitro zygotic embryogenesis system in tobacco. A single zygote of a dicotyledonous plant was able to develop into a fertile plant via direct embryogenesis with the aid of a co-culture system in which fertilized ovules were employed as feeders. The results confirmed that a tobacco zygote could divide in vitro following the basic embryogenic pattern of the Solanad type. The zygote cell wall and directional expansion are two critical points in maintaining apical-basal polarity and determining the developmental fate of the zygote. Only those isolated zygotes with an almost intact original cell wall could continue limited directional expansion in vitro, and only these directionally expanded zygotes could divide into typical apical and basal cells and finally develop into a typical embryo with a suspensor. In contrast, isolated zygote protoplasts deprived of cell walls could enlarge but could not directionally elongate, as in vivo zygotes do before cell division, even when the cell wall was regenerated during in vitro culture. The zygote protoplasts could also undergo asymmetrical division to form one smaller and one larger daughter cell, which could develop into an embryonic callus or a globular embryo without a suspensor. Even cell walls that hung loosely around the protoplasts appeared to function, and were closely correlated with the orientation of the first zygotic division and the apical-basal axis, further indicating the essential role of the original zygotic cell wall in maintaining apical-basal polarity and cell-division orientation, as well as subsequent cell differentiation during early embryo development in vitro.     

Signalling in plant embryos during the establishment of the polar axis.

In brown algae fertilization takes place free from surrounding tissue layers. The cytoskeleton and transmembrane links to the cell wall are involved in establishing and stabilizing the polar axis and in determining the fate of cells in the early embryo. In seed plants, the egg cell and zygote exhibit apical basal polarity. Mutant studies suggest that axes of polarity of the early embryo depend on signalling between the apical and basal compartments, possibly involving auxin. Development of somatic cells into plant embryos involves extracellular matrix-derived arabinogalactan proteins. This suggests a role for the cell wall in plant embryogenesis.     

The Arabidopsis Receptor Kinase ZAR1 Is Required for Zygote Asymmetric Division and Its Daughter Cell Fate

Asymmetric division of zygote is critical for pattern formation during early embryogenesis in plants and animals. It requires integration of the intrinsic and extrinsic cues prior to and/or after fertilization. How these cues are translated into developmental signals is poorly understood. Here through genetic screen for mutations affecting early embryogenesis, we identified an Arabidopsis mutant, zygotic arrest 1 (zar1), in which zygote asymmetric division and the cell fate of its daughter cells were impaired. ZAR1 encodes a member of the RLK/Pelle kinase family. We demonstrated that ZAR1 physically interacts with Calmodulin and the heterotrimeric G protein Gβ, and ZAR1 kinase is activated by their binding as well. ZAR1 is specifically expressed micropylarly in the embryo sac at eight-nucleate stage and then in central cell, egg cell and synergids in the mature embryo sac. After fertilization, ZAR1 is accumulated in zygote and endosperm. The disruption of ZAR1 and AGB1 results in short basal cell and an apical cell with basal cell fate. These data suggest that ZAR1 functions as a membrane integrator for extrinsic cues, Ca²⁺ signal and G protein signaling to regulate the division of zygote and the cell fate of its daughter cells in Arabidopsis.     

Cytological evidence of biparental inheritance of plastids and mitochondria inPelargonium

Summary Based on the organelle differences between egg and sperm cells inPelargonium hortorum, the zygote, proembryo, and endosperm were examined under the transmission electron microscope. Plastids and mitochondria in the egg cell are significantly different from those of the sperm cell. Egg plastids are starch-containing and less electron dense. They appear circular, elliptical irregular elongate in sections. Sperm cell plastids are relatively electrondense, mostly cup-shaped or dumbbell and devoid of starch granules. Mitochondria of the egg cell are giant and mostly cup-shaped while sperm mitochondria are smaller and usually circular in section. Double fertilization is completed by 24 h after pollination and the pollen tube can be seen in the degenerated synergid. In the zygote, plastids and mitochondria from male and female gametes can be distinguished by their characteristic differences. Moreover, paternal and maternal organelles appear to be distributed at random in the zygote. Aside from the pollen tube and its released starch granules, there is no enucleated cytoplasmic body in the degenerated synergid. Two days after pollination, the zygote undergoes one transverse division to form a 2-celled proembryo which consists of one larger vacuolated basal cell and one smaller densely cytoplasmic apical cell. Paternal and maternal organelles can be detected in both cells of the proembryo and also in the endosperm at this stage. From these results, it can be concluded that plastids and mitochondria from both male and female gametes have been transmitted into the apical cell of the proembryo and most probably to the following generation.Abbreviations TEM transmission electron microscope - DAPI 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole - RFLP restriction fragment length polymorphism     

HISTOCHEMISTRY AND ULTRASTRUCTURE OF RICE (ORYZA SATIVA) ZYGOTIC EMBRYOGENESIS

Rice embryo development was examined, histochemically and ultrastructurally, from the time of fertilization to embryo maturity. At the time of fertilization, the megagametophyte consists of an antipodal mass of 10–15 cells, parietally positioned along the placental side of the central cell, and, at the micropylar end, two partly fused polar nuclei and the egg apparatus. Hydrolysis of adjacent nucellar tissue suggests the secretion of hydrolytic enzymes by the antipodal mass. The antipodal cells stain intensely for RNA and protein, indicating that they are metabolically active. The egg, supported by two overarching synergids, occupies a small, wall ingrowth-lined pocket of the central cell that quickly fills with cellular endosperm after fertilization. The endosperm cells, initially supplied with nutrients from wall ingrowth-derived vesicles, are digested and utilized by the embryo as a nutritive source. The developing embryo is also supplied with assimilates via the nucellus at the base of the embryo until about 8 days after fertilization. After 8 days, the embryo is no longer connected to the nucellus, and the nucellar cells at the base of the embryo are crushed. The zygote is not structurally polarized and contains a central nucleus, amyloplasts, lipid bodies, dictyosomes and extensive dilated ER. The first division of the zygote is transverse and unequal and occurs about 4 hours after fertilization. Embryo development is rapid, and within 24 hr, the embryo consists of 5–8 cells. Organ development begins with scutellum emergence in the 3-day-old embryo. The shoot apex organizes and the coleoptile develops from scutellum tissue at 4 days postfertilization, the epiblast emerges at 5 days, and the vascular bundle and root apex differentiate by 6 days after fertilization. Starch begins to accumulate in the basal cells of the 3-day-old embryo and deposition proceeds acropetally over the next 9–10 days. Lipid accumulation begins in the basal scutellum in the 6-day-old embryo and also proceeds acropetally. Storage protein synthesis is first detected in 6-day-old embryos and accumulation again proceeds acropetally, reaching the apex of the scutellum of the 25-day-old embryo. The ultrastructure of the 24-hr-old embryo is distinctive. The cells are characterized by numerous vesicles, heterochromatin and extensive nuclear evaginations.     

Coordination of apical and basal embryo development revealed by tissue-specific GNOM functions

Flowering-plant embryogenesis generates the basic body organization, including the apical and basal stem cell niches, i.e. shoot and root meristems, the major tissue layers and the cotyledon(s). gnom mutant embryos fail to initiate the root meristem at the early-globular stage and the cotyledon primordia at the late globular/transition stage. Tissue-specific GNOM expression in the gnom mutant embryo revealed that both apical and basal embryo organization depend on GNOM provascular expression and a functioning apical-basal auxin flux: GNOM provascular expression in gnom mutant background resulted in non-cell-autonomous reconstitution of apical and basal tissues which could be linked to changes in auxin responses in those tissues, stressing the importance of apical-basal auxin flow for overall embryo organization. Although reconstitution of apical-basal auxin flux in gnom results in the formation of single cotyledons (monocots), only additional GNOM epidermal expression is able to induce wild-type apical patterning. We conclude that provascular expression of GNOM is vital for both apical and basal tissue organization, and that epidermal GNOM expression is required for radial-to-bilateral symmetry transition of the embryo. We propose GNOM-dependent auxin sinks as a means to generate auxin gradients across tissues.     

玉米胚胎发育、萌发与胚的结构及子叶二型性

运用扫描电镜与半薄切片技术,观察了玉米(Zea mays L.)的胚发育过程,得到以下认识：第一、关于原胚。玉米合子细胞分裂形成的原胚分为胚柄、胚基与胚体三部分。胚柄短小,寿命短暂。胚基具有生长带,纵向伸长长度大,胚基的上部参与形成胚根鞘,其余部分干缩后附在胚根鞘末端。第二、玉米胚的背腹极性及二型子叶。原胚初期胚体出现背腹极性,腹面的细胞小,细胞质稠密,液泡较少;背面的细胞较大,细胞质稠密度略低,液泡较多。原胚后期胚体分化为腹部与背部,腹部从腹面的中央突起,背部在腹部的周围(从左至右侧)及整个胚体背面。进入幼胚时期,腹部分化为胚芽鞘、生长锥、胚轴、胚根和胚根鞘(大部分)。期间,胚芽鞘原基和根原始细胞的分化都从胚体的中轴部位开始,然后向两侧和四周扩展,表现出胚体腹面形态的两侧对称性。原胚的背部形成盾片原基,盾片原基经历向左、右、上、下的迅速扩展和加厚的生长,将整个腹部所分化形成的构件藏于盾片的纵沟之中,最后盾片从纵沟的边缘长出的左、右侧鳞均向胚体的中轴线生长,完整显示出玉米胚腹面的两侧对称。玉米胚由腹部顶端形成胚芽鞘和生长锥的情况与水稻胚的胚芽鞘(顶生子叶)和生长锥的形成相同,玉米的胚芽鞘也是顶生子叶,盾片则是侧生子叶。玉米异型子叶的由来在于胚体的背腹极性。第三、玉米胚的真实形态结构及胚胎发育时期的划分。玉米胚是一个胚轴,其顶部是具胚芽鞘的胚芽,中部是具侧生子叶(盾片)的胚轴,下部是具胚根鞘的胚根。盾片从背面到腹面包住整个胚轴系统,在胚的腹面上可见从盾片边缘衍生的左、右侧鳞的边缘相迭,只在接缝线的上、下端留下蝌蚪状的小孔,使胚芽鞘和胚根鞘的末端稍露出。胚胎发育分为4个时期：1．原胚期——从合子细胞分裂开始至分化背部与腹部为止;2．腹部迅速分化期;3．盾片快速生长期;4．侧鳞生长、胚套形成期。第四、获取垂盲于胚腹面正中央纵切面是正确认识玉米胚形态的关键。     

玉米胚胎发育、萌发与胚的结构及子叶二型性

运用扫描电镜与半薄切片技术,观察了玉米(Zea mays L.)的胚发育过程,得到以下认识:第一、关于原胚.玉米合子细胞分裂形成的原胚分为胚柄、胚基与胚体三部分.胚柄短小,寿命短暂.胚基具有生长带,纵向伸长长度大,胚基的上部参与形成胚根鞘,其余部分干缩后附在胚根鞘末端.第二、玉米胚的背腹极性及二型子叶.原胚初期胚体出现背腹极性,腹面的细胞小,细胞质稠密,液泡较少;背面的细胞较大,细胞质稠密度略低,液泡较多.原胚后期胚体分化为腹部与背部,腹部从腹面的中央突起,背部在腹部的周围(从左至右侧)及整个胚体背面.进入幼胚时期,腹部分化为胚芽鞘、生长锥、胚轴、胚根和胚根鞘(大部分).期间,胚芽鞘原基和根原始细胞的分化都从胚体的中轴部位开始,然后向两侧和四周扩展,表现出胚体腹面形态的两侧对称性.原胚的背部形成盾片原基,盾片原基经历向左、右、上、下的迅速扩展和加厚的生长,将整个腹部所分化形成的构件藏于盾片的纵沟之中,最后盾片从纵沟的边缘长出的左、右侧鳞均向胚体的中轴线生长,完整显示出玉米胚腹面的两侧对称.玉米胚由腹部顶端形成胚芽鞘和生长锥的情况与水稻胚的胚芽鞘(顶生子叶)和生长锥的形成相同,玉米的胚芽鞘也是顶生子叶,盾片则是侧生子叶.玉米异型子叶的由来在于胚体的背腹极性.第三、玉米胚的真实形态结构及胚胎发育时期的划分.玉米胚是一个胚轴,其顶部是具胚芽鞘的胚芽,中部是具侧生子叶(盾片)的胚轴,下部是具胚根鞘的胚根.盾片从背面到腹面包住整个胚轴系统,在胚的腹面上可见从盾片边缘衍生的左、右侧鳞的边缘相迭,只在接缝线的上、下端留下蝌蚪状的小孔,使胚芽鞘和胚根鞘的末端稍露出.胚胎发育分为4个时期: 1.原胚期--从合子细胞分裂开始至分化背部与腹部为止;2.腹部迅速分化期;3.盾片快速生长期;4.侧鳞生长、胚套形成期.第四、获取垂直于胚腹面正中央纵切面是正确认识玉米胚形态的关键.     

The autonomous cell fate specification of basal cell lineage: the initial round of cell fate specification occurs at the two‐celled proembryo stage

In angiosperms, the first zygotic division usually gives rise to two daughter cells with distinct morphologies and developmental fates, which is critical for embryo pattern formation; however, it is still unclear when and how these distinct cell fates are specified, and whether the cell specification is related to cytoplasmic localization or polarity. Here, we demonstrated that when isolated from both maternal tissues and the apical cell, a single basal cell could only develop into a typical suspensor, but never into an embryo in vitro. Morphological, cytological and gene expression analyses confirmed that the resulting suspensor in vitro is highly similar to its undisturbed in vivo counterpart. We also demonstrated that the isolated apical cell could develop into a small globular embryo, both in vivo and in vitro, after artificial dysfunction of the basal cell; however, these growing apical cell lineages could never generate a new suspensor. These findings suggest that the initial round of cell fate specification occurs at the two‐celled proembryo stage, and that the basal cell lineage is autonomously specified towards the suspensor, implying a polar distribution of cytoplasmic contents in the zygote. The cell fate transition of the basal cell lineage to the embryo in vivo is actually a conditional cell specification process, depending on the developmental signals from both the apical cell lineage and maternal tissues connected to the basal cell lineage.     

Observations on the Neocytoplasm and Proteid Vacuoles During the Fertilization of Keteleeria evelyniana

Distributions and dynamics of the neocytoplasm and proteid vacuoles during the fertilization of Keteleeria evelyniana were studied by histochemical methods. Before fertilization cytoplasmic sheath surrounding the male and female gametes was indistinct. After fertilization, the dense neocytoplasm appeared around the zygote. Part of the neocytoplasm is invaded by mitochondria of maternal origin which had collected in large numbers in the perinuclear zone. The mitochondria contain electron compact little body which looks like a nucleus in the cytoplasm, but not observed in the rosette tier cell of proembryo and jacket cells. Hence, it was showed that the neocytoplasm participated in the development of embryo by all these observations. By using Feulgen reaction, the staining reaction of neocytoplasm was positive, the egg nucleus or zygote nucleus was weaker in positive reaction, while the proteid vacuoles were negative. When the proembryo developed, there were a few starch grains accumulated in the other three tiers except the upper tier. The Feulgen reaction was in- creased in intensity in the suspensor tier and embryonal cell tier nuclei. When the young embryo developed, Feulgen reaction became normal in the nuclei of the embryo initials. The embryo initials and Suspensor cells showed very weak Feulgen positive reaetion in the proembryo and young embryo. The development of the large proteid vacuoles was from plastid. During the early stage of egg nucleus, contents of large proteid vacuoles were less. When the zygote was formed, they reached the highest. However, after the zygote produced, the proteid vacuoles and egg cytoplasm were getting disintegrated following the course of fission of free nuclei. After the proembryo formed, the proteid vacuoles were wholly disintegrated.     

Analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence reveals stage specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells during Arabidopsis embryogenesis

The basic body plan of a plant is established early in embryogenesis when cells differentiate, giving rise to the apical and basal regions of the embryo. Using chlorophyll fluorescence as a marker for chloroplasts, we have detected specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells at specific stages of embryogenesis. Non-randomly distributed chloroplast-containing cells are seen as early as the globular stage of embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. In the heart stage of embryogenesis, chloroplast containing cells are detected in epidermal cells as well as a central region of the heart stage embryo, forming a triangular septum of chloroplast-containing cells that divides the embryo into three equal sectors. Torpedo stage embryos have chloroplast-containing epidermal cells and a central band of chloroplast-containing cells in the cortex layer, just below the shoot apical meristem. In the walking-stick stage of embryogenesis, chloroplasts are present in the epidermal, cortex and endodermal cells. The chloroplasts appear reduced or absent from the provascular and columella cells of walking-stick stage embryos. These results suggest that there is a tight regulation of plastid differentiation during embryogenesis that generates specific patterns of chloroplast-containing cells in specific cell layers at specific stages of embryogenesis.     

云南油杉受精过程中新细胞质及蛋白泡的动态观察

云南油杉(Keteleeria evelyniana Mast)在受精前,精核与卵核周围的细胞质鞘不明显。受精后,合子核周围出现细密的新细胞质。应用孚尔根核染色法,可以较清晰地将新细胞质染出,呈现较弱的正反应,而合子的核质及受精前的精核与卵核染色极弱。卵细胞质及其中的蛋白泡均为负反应。原胚形成后,除上层外,其余几层细胞质内开始积累淀粉粒。此时胚原细胞核的孚尔根染色深度有所增加。幼胚形成后,在顶端的胚原细胞群中核的孚尔根染色反应已恢复正常。在原胚及幼胚胚原细胞质中也呈现很弱的正反应。在电镜下,胚原层细胞质及新细胞质中均含有核样电子致密小体或称作染色质小体,而原胚莲座层细胞质及四周套细胞质中的线粒体则不含这种核样小体。因此,大蛋白泡在卵核形成的早期数量不多,当合子形成时含量最高,而随着游离核的分裂进程,蛋白泡以及原卵质均逐渐地解体,在原胚形成后全部消解。