It is a matter of timing: asynchrony during pollen development and its consequences on pollen performance in angiosperms—a review

Functional pollen is needed to successfully complete fertilization. Pollen is formed inside the anthers following a specific sequence of developmental stages, from microsporocyte meiosis to pollen release, that concerns microsporocytes/microspores and anther wall tissues. The processes involved may not be synchronous within a flower, an anther, and even a microsporangium. Asynchrony has been barely analyzed, and its biological consequences have not been yet assessed. In this review, different processes of pollen development and lifetime, stressing on the possible consequences of their differential timing on pollen performance, are summarized. Development is usually synchronized until microsporocyte meiosis I (occasionally until meiosis II). Afterwards, a period of mostly asynchronous events extends up to anther opening as regards: (1) meiosis II (sometimes); (2) microspore vacuolization and later reduction of vacuoles; (3) amylogenesis, amylolysis, and carbohydrate inter-conversion; (4) the first haploid mitosis; and (5) intine formation. Asynchrony would promote metabolic differences among developing microspores and therefore physiologically heterogeneous pollen grains within a single microsporangium. Asynchrony would increase the effect of competition for resources during development and pollen tube growth and also for water during (re)hydration on the stigma. The differences generated by developmental asynchronies may have an adaptive role since more efficient pollen grains would be selected with regard to homeostasis, desiccation tolerance, resilience, speed of (re)hydration, and germination. The performance of each pollen grain which landed onto the stigma will be the result of a series of selective steps determined by its development, physiological state at maturity, and successive environmental constrains.     

大葱小孢子母细胞至二胞早期花粉发育的超微结构观察

用电镜观察了章丘大葱 (AlliumfistulosumL .)从小孢子母细胞至二胞早期花粉发育的超微结构。终变期的花粉母细胞 ,胼胝壁外方的相邻初生壁间及胞间隙内 ,存在胞间物质 ,四分体期 ,此物质尚部分存在。小孢子母细胞减数分裂前 ,细胞质内含有脂滴 ,小孢子有丝分裂以后 ,脂滴增多增大。小孢子分裂后期 ,质体已积累淀粉粒 1至多个。二胞早期花粉之营养细胞质内 ,有些含淀粉质体亦含脂滴。各发育期 ,核糖体及多聚合糖体丰富 ,并有很多的粗面内质网、高尔基体及小泡、线粒体 ,显示蛋白质、糖类及其它物质合成及运输作用的活跃。小孢子缺中央大液泡。有丝分裂后期 ,细胞器集中于未来的营养细胞极。小孢子胞质分裂期 ,有些内质网贴近或与花粉质膜相连 ,它们或有可能互相融合 ,扩大质膜面积而适应花粉的生长。还讨论了不同时期高尔基体小泡的作用。     

麻疯树小孢子发育的研究

用透射电镜观察了麻疯树(Jatropha curcas L.)小孢子发育的超微结构。小孢子母细胞时期内质网和质体较多;减数分裂和四分体时期,细胞处于明显的代谢活跃状态,细胞器丰富,主要有内质网、线粒体、质体、高尔基体和球状体;在小孢子发育早期和晚期,线粒体和内质网仍较丰富;小孢子经过高度的不对称分裂后,形成较大的营养细胞和较小的生殖细胞,营养细胞中细胞器数量明显减少,含大量的淀粉和脂类物质,生殖细胞中脂类物质丰富;表皮、药室内壁和中层细胞在小孢子母细胞和四分体时期淀粉粒丰富,小孢子时期明显减少,绒毡层从小孢子母细胞至小孢子发育晚期的细胞器都很丰富,主要为内质网、质体和线粒体,为二胞花粉发育奠定基础。     

Use of DNA fluorochromes for studying meiosis in the woody species Thryptomene calycina.

The fluorescent DNA probes DAPI and Hoechst 33258 produce superior images to the traditional acetocarmine stain of the small chromosomes of the woody shrub Thryptomene calycina at all stages of microsporocyte meiosis and microspore mitosis. Hoechst 33258 was slightly superior to DAPI because of reduced background fluorescence. Binding with the DNA-specific probes required a fixative containing chloroform to remove autofluorescent materials, a pretreatment with acetic acid and a pH of least 6 during treatment. The nucleoli did not fluoresce after treatment with DAPI or Hoechst 33258. Superior resolution of chromosomes after treatment with the fluorochromes enabled easy determination of the haploid number at metaphase I, metaphase II and at metaphase of the microspore mitosis.     

Use of DNA Fluorochromes for Studying Meiosis in the Woody Species Thryptomene Calycina

The fluorescent DNA probes DAPI and Hoechst 33258 produce superior images to the traditional acetocarmine stain of the small chromosomes of the woody shrub Thryptomene calycina at all stages of microsporocyte meiosis and microspore mitosis. Hoechst 33258 was slightly superior to DAPI because of reduced background fluorescence. Binding with the DNA-specific probes required a fixative containing chloroform to remove autofluorescent materials, a pretreatment with acetic acid and a pH of least 6 during treatment. The nucleoli did not fluoresce after treatment with DAPI or Hoechst 33258. Superior resolution of chromosomes after treatment with the fluorochromes enabled easy determination of the haploid number at metaphase I, metaphase II and at metaphase of the microspore mitosis.     

LP28, a lily pollen-specific LEA-like protein, is located in the callosic cell wall during male gametogenesis

. LP28, a pollen-specific LEA-like protein identified in Lilium longiflorum purportedly related to the desiccation tolerance of pollen, was localized during male gametogenesis using immuno-electron microscopy. At premeiotic interphase, LP28 label is absent from the microsporocyte. LP28 label was first detected in the cell wall of the microsporocyte at meiotic prophase I. LP28 gradually increased as the cell wall thickened. In the dyad, after the first meiotic division, LP28 label also appeared in the septum. In the tetrad, after the second meiotic division, LP28 was detected throughout the cell wall, including the septa. Immunolabeling of callose during meiosis indicated that the appearance and localization of LP28 was very similar to that of callose. After the microspores were released from the tetrad by digesting the callosic cell wall, LP28 was not found in the microspores. In bicellular pollen, just after microspore mitosis, LP28 appeared in the generative cell wall, which also consisted of callose. After pollen germination, LP28 also accumulated in the callosic layer of the elongated pollen tube wall and the callose plug. Thus, LP28 colocalized with the callosic cell wall during male gametogenesis. The possible role of LP28 with respect to wall formation during meiosis and pollen development is discussed.     

Ultrastructural studies on plastids of generative and vegetative cells inLiliaceae 3. Plastid distribution during the pollen development inGasteria verrucosa (Mill.) Duval

Summary This paper describes the development of pollen grains ofGasteria verrucosa from the late microspore to the mature two-cellular pollen grain. Ultrastructural changes and the distribution of plastids as a result of the first pollen mitosis have been investigated using light and electron microscopy. The microspores as well as the generative and the vegetative cell contain mitochondria and other cytoplasmic organelles during all of the observed developmental stages. In contrast, the generative cell and the vegetative cell show a different plastid content. Plastids are randomly distributed within the microspores before pollen mitosis. During the prophase of the first pollen mitosis the plastids become clustered at the proximal pole of the microspore. The dividing nucleus of the microspore is located at the distal pole of the microspore. Therefore, the plastids are not equally distributed into both the generative and the vegetative cell. The possible reasons for the polarization of plastids within the microspore are briefly discussed. The lack of plastids in the generative cell causes a maternal inheritance of plastids inGasteria verrucosa.     

The cytoskeleton and polarization during pollen development in Carex blanda (Cyperaceae)

Patterns of cytoskeletal organization during distinct polarizations that characterize pollen development in the sedge Carex blanda (Cyperaceae) were studied by correlated methods of immunohistochemistry and confocal and transmission electron microscopy. As is typical of the family Cyperaceae, Carex produces a unique pollen type known as a pseudomonad in which all four microspores of the tetrad are enclosed within the wall of a single pollen grain. Only one member of the tetrad is functional and the other three abort. The pseudomonads are precisely oriented in the locule with the functional microspore in the wide abaxial portion of the wedge-shaped cytoplasm adjacent to the tapetum, and the degenerative microspores are packed tightly in the pointed adaxial portion. A unique sequence of post-meiotic developmental events reflects both intracellular and intercellular polarity. Development includes: (1) random placement of tetrad nuclei in the coenocytic sporocyte after meiosis, (2) interrupted cytokinesis resulting in a tetrad of nuclei that migrates as a unit into the narrow adaxial tip, (3) completion of unequal cytokinesis and centering of the functional nucleus in the wide abaxial portion of the microsporocyte via a radial array of microtubules and microfilaments, (4) unequal mitosis resulting in a small generative cell at the proximal surface of the functional microspore (adjacent to the abortive microspores), and (5) recentering of the vegetative nucleus in the abaxial cytoplasm via a radial cytoskeletal array.     

Pectin secretion and distribution in the anther during pollen development in Lilium

Using the monoclonal antibodies JIM 5 and 7, pectin was immunolocalized and quantitatively assayed in three anther compartments of Lilium hybrida during pollen development. Pectin levels in both the anther wall and the loculus increased following meiosis, were maximal during the early microspore stages and declined during the remainder of pollen ontogenesis. In the microspores/pollen grains, pectin was detectable at low levels during the microspore stages but accumulated significantly during pollen maturation. During early microspore vacuolation, esterified pectin epitopes were detected both in the tapetum cytoplasm and vacuoles. In the anther loculus, the same epitopes were located simultaneously in undulations of the plasma membrane and in the locular fluid. At the end of microspore vacuolation, esterified pectin epitopes were present within the lipids of the pollenkitt, and released in the loculus at pollen mitosis. Unesterified pectin epitopes were hardly detectable in the cytoplasm of the young microspore but were as abundant in the primexine matrix as in the loculus. During pollen maturation, both unesterified and esterified pectin labelling accumulated in the cytoplasm of the vegetative cell, concurrently with starch degradation. In the mature pollen grain, unesterified pectin epitopes were located in the proximal intine whereas esterified pectin epitopes were deposited in the distal intine. These data suggest that during early microspore development, the tapetum secretes pectin, which is transferred to the primexine matrix via the locular fluid. Further, pectin is demonstrated to constitute a significant component of the pollen carbohydrate reserves in the mature grain of Lilium. Received: 3 July 2000 / Accepted: 19 October 2000     

沙田柚雌雄蕊发育及其相关性研究

沙田柚为例生胚珠,双珠被,厚珠心,具多个孢原细胞,其中之一发育形成大孢子母细胞,四个大孢子呈直线形排列,功能大孢子居合点端,胚囊发育为蓼型,珠孔端有珠心冠。 花药为四分孢子囊,小孢子母细胞减数分裂过程中,胞质分裂为同时型,四分小孢子四面体型,成熟花粉粒为二细胞型。 同一朵花中,雌雄蕊发育的相关性是:当大孢子母细胞形成时,小孢子进入单核期。当雌蕊发育进入大孢子时期,双核花粉粒形成。大孢子和双核花粉粒都在开花前10天左右形成,雌雄蕊同时成熟。     

枸杞花药发育过程中钙的分布

在枸杞花药发育过程中,用焦锑酸钾沉淀的钙颗粒显示出了一个与花药发育事件有关的分布特征：在孢原细胞时期的花药中钙颗粒很少。在造孢细胞到小孢子母细胞时期,花药中钙颗粒增加。当花粉母细胞进行减数分裂时,花药中的钙颗粒进一步增加,尤其是在小孢子母细胞的胼胝质壁中。在小孢子发育早期,花药药隔部位的绒毡层细胞质中钙颗粒也明显增加并特异性地分布在其内切向壁上。当小孢子被释放出后,钙颗粒开始特异性积累在正在形成的花粉外壁中,尤其在萌发孔的部位聚集了大量的钙颗粒。当小孢子形成大液泡时,其细胞质中的钙颗粒明显减少。在小孢子分裂形成二胞花粉后,在二胞花粉的大液泡中又特异性地出现许多细小钙颗粒。随着二胞花粉的大液泡完全消失,其细胞质中又出现了许多钙颗粒。接近开花时的成熟花粉粒细胞质中,细小的钙颗粒主要分布在营养细胞和生殖细胞中。枸杞花药发育过程中钙的分布特征反映了其参与调控花粉发育过程。     

灯盏花雄性不育种质鉴定与花药发育的细胞学研究

对云南泸西栽培灯盏花群体进行调查,发现了灯盏花雄性不育种质个体,其出现频率约为1.06×10-4.对所发现的灯盏花不育株形态特征及其花药发育过程进行了观察,并对花粉活力进行鉴定.结果显示:(1)灯盏花不育株根、茎、叶形态与正常可育植株基本相似,管状花小,花丝短,花药瘦小,无花粉粒散出或花粉无活力.(2)灯盏花在其花药发育的小孢子母细胞时期、四分体时期、小孢子时期和单核早期,由于绒毡层细胞液泡化、提前解体,不能为小孢子或花粉发育提供所需物质,导致小孢子母细胞和四分体解体,产生无花粉的花药;或小孢子和单核花粉胞内降解,形成不同形状和外壁纹饰的败育花粉.研究认为,灯盏花花药绒毡层异常是其花粉败育的主要原因.     

长花柱型滇丁香小孢子发生及雄配子体发育

利用常规石蜡切片法和细胞学压片法,对异型花柱植物滇丁香的长花柱型植株的小孢子发生、雄配子体发育及花粉萌发进行观察。结果表明:(1)长花柱型滇丁香具5枚花药,花药4室。(2)花药壁由1层表皮、1层花药内壁、2层中层和1~3层绒毡层组成;花药壁发育方式为基本型,绒毡层类型为腺质绒毡层。(3)小孢子母细胞减数分裂的胞质分裂为同时型,四分体排列方式为四面体型,偶有左右对称型;不同药室间小孢子母细胞减数分裂不同步。(4)成熟花粉粒为二细胞型。(5)小孢子发生和雄配子体发育过程正常,表明长花柱型滇丁香属于发育正常的两性花。(6)授粉4h后,长花柱型滇丁香的花粉在长、短两种花柱柱头上的萌发率分别达(91.8±1.6)%和(93.2±1.1)%,且两者间无显著性差异(t=1.585,df=8,p=0.152),表明长花柱型滇丁香的成熟花粉粒在长、短两种花柱柱头上的萌发均正常。     

蓝猪耳小孢子发生和雄配子体发育

利用常规石蜡切片和超薄切片技术研究蓝猪耳(Torenia fournien)小孢子发生和雄配子体发育过程.蓝猪耳雄蕊4枚,花药具4个花粉囊.小孢子母细胞经减数分裂成四分体,其排列方式为四面体形或左右对称形.成熟花粉属2细胞型,具3个萌发孔.花药壁发育为双子叶型,腺质绒毡层.小孢子母细胞在四分体时期频繁出现细胞质降解的异常现象,其它发育阶段均正常;小孢子母细胞不正常的减数分裂可能导致花粉败育,这可能是蓝猪耳结实率低的原因之一.     

A COMPARISON OF CLEISTOGAMOUS AND CHASMOGAMOUS FLORAL DEVELOPMENT IN COLLOMIA GRANDIFLORA DOUGL. EX LINDL. (POLEMONIACEAE)

An individual of Collomia grandiflora typically produces both closed or cleistogamous (CL) and open or chasmogamous (CH) flowers. The developmental origin of these dimorphic floral types within a plant was investigated using histological techniques, allometric relationships, and scanning electron microscopy. Prior to archesporal cell stage in the anthers, CL and CH meristems are indistinguishable. In the CL anther, an absence of ventral locule cell differentiation together with a shorter period of time between archesporial cell differentiation and meiosis in the two dorsal locules results in accelerated anther dehiscence and a smaller mature anther size and pollen grain number. Divergence between the CL and CH patterns of corolla development is coincident with microspore mitosis in the CH anther. At this point, there is an increase in growth in corolla length relative to growth in calyx length in the CH flower which does not occur in the CL flower. Calyx and ovary development are similar in the two floral forms; however, ovary expansion due to fertilization occurs earlier in the CL flower as a result of precocious anther development and stigma receptivity. The hypothesis that anther differentiation may trigger organ growth rate changes and differentiation events in the flower and hypothetical roles for abscisic acid and gibberellin in modifying floral development in C. grandiflora are discussed.     

Actin microfilament organization during pollen development ofBrassica napus cv. Topas

Summary The organization of actin microfilaments (MFs) was studied during pollen development ofBrassica napus cv. Topas. Cells were prepared using three techniques and double labelled for fluorescence microscopy with rhodamine-labelled phalloidin for MFs and Hoechst 33258 for DNA. Microfilaments are present at all stages of pollen development with the exception of tricellular pollen just prior to anthesis. Unicellular microspores contain MFs which radiate from the surface of the nuclear envelope into the cytoplasm. During mitosis MFs form a network partially surrounding the mitotic apparatus and extend into the cytoplasm. Both cytoplasmic and phragmoplast-associated MFs are present during cytokinesis. Nuclear associated-, cytoplasmic, and randomly oriented cortical MFs appear in the vegetative cell of the bicellular microspore. Cortical MFs in the vegetative cell organize into parallel MF bundles (MFBs) aligned transverse to the furrows. The MFBs disappear prior to microspore elongation. At anthesis MFs are restricted to the cortical areas subjacent to the furrows of the vegetative cell. The use of cytochalasin D to disrupt MF function resulted in: (1) displacement of the acentric nucleus in the unicellular microspore; (2) displacement of the spindle apparatus in the mitotic cell; (3) symmetrical growth of the bicellular microspore rather than elongation and (4) inhibition of pollen tube germination in the mature pollen grain. This suggests that MFs play an important role in anchoring the nucleus in the unicellular microspore as well as the spindle apparatus during microspore mitosis, in microspore shape determination and in pollen tube germination.Abbreviations MF microfilament - MFB microfilament bundle - rhph rhodamine phalloidin Dedicated to the memory of Professor John G. Torrey     

芝麻核雄性不育系ms86-1微粉发生的细胞学观察

芝麻(Sesamum indicum)核雄性不育系ms86-1姊妹交后代表现为可育、部分不育(即微粉)及完全不育(简称不育)3种类型。不同育性类型的花药及花粉粒形态差异明显。Alexander染色实验显示微粉植株花粉粒外壁为蓝绿色, 内部为不均一洋红色, 与可育株及不育株花粉粒的染色特征均不相同。为探明芝麻微粉发生机理, 在电子显微镜下比较观察了可育、微粉、不育类型的小孢子发育过程。结果表明, 可育株小孢子母细胞减数分裂时期代谢旺盛, 胞质中出现大量脂质小球; 四分体时期绒毡层细胞开始降解, 单核小孢子时期开始出现乌氏体, 成熟花粉时期花粉囊腔内及花粉粒周围分布着大量乌氏体, 花粉粒外壁有11–13个棱状凸起, 表面存在大量基粒棒, 形成紧密的覆盖层。不育株小孢子发育异常显现于减数分裂时期, 此时胞质中无脂质小球出现, 细胞壁开始积累胼胝质; 四分体时期绒毡层细胞未见降解; 单核小孢子时期无乌氏体出现; 成熟花粉时期花粉囊腔中未发现正常的乌氏体, 存在大量空瘪的败育小孢子, 外壁积累胼胝质, 缺乏基粒棒。微粉株小孢子在减数分裂时期可见胞质内有大量脂质小球, 四分体时期部分绒毡层发生变形, 单核小孢子时期有部分绒毡层开始降解; 绒毡层细胞降解滞后为少量发育进程迟缓的小孢子提供了营养物质, 部分小孢子发育为正常花粉粒; 这些花粉粒比较饱满, 表面有少量颗粒状突起, 但未能形成覆盖层, 花粉囊腔中及小孢子周围存在少量的乌氏体。小孢子形成的育性类型与绒毡层降解是否正常有关。     

中国鹅掌楸小孢子发生的细胞化学研究

多糖、脂类和蛋白质的消长变化与花粉发育过程中营养供应存在着密切的关系。雄蕊特别是花药壁内的多糖在减数分裂过程中逐渐消耗殆尽。初期的小孢子母细胞内脂滴的含量丰富,无淀粉粒,也无颗粒状的蛋白质。进行减数分裂的小孢子母细胞内、中层及绒毡层细胞积累了大量的蛋白质与脂类;减数分裂完成后,绒毡层和四分体小孢子开始逐渐积累淀粉与脂类,但蛋白质的含量较少,至小孢子时期,小孢子壁及绒毡层细胞的径切向壁和内切向壁沉积了大量的脂类物质,而且小孢子核周围分布大量淀粉粒,未观察到蛋白质颗粒。     

含笑花药发育的超微结构研究

对含笑花药发育中的超微结构变化进行观察,结果显示:(1)花粉发育中有三次液泡变化过程——第一次是小孢子母细胞在形成时内部出现了液泡,这可能与胼胝质壁的形成有关;第二次是在小孢子母细胞减数分裂之前,细胞内壁纤维素降解区域形成液泡,它的功能可能是消化原有的纤维素细胞壁;第三次是在小孢子液泡化时期,形成的大液泡将细胞核挤到边缘,产生极性。(2)含笑花粉在小孢子早期形成花粉外壁外层,花粉外壁内层在小孢子晚期形成,而花粉内壁是在二胞花粉早期形成;花粉成熟时,表面上沉积了绒毡层细胞的降解物而形成了花粉覆盖物。研究认为,含笑花粉原外壁的形成可能与母细胞胼胝质壁有关,而由绒毡层细胞提供的孢粉素物质按一定结构建成了花粉覆盖物。