Development of Pollen Grain Walls and Accumulation of Sporopollenin

By means of electron microscopy, we studied the development of pollen grain walls in Calendula officinalis L., Dimorphotheca aurantiaca DC., and Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae). As a reference, we studied the plants from the families Schisandraceae (Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.), Lauraceae (Persea americana Mill.), Boraginaceae (Borago officinalis L.), and Cycadaceae (Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm.). In Asteraceae, we revealed two successively initiated layers of glycocalyx that form outer and inner layers of the ectexine. The formation of endexine is contributed by plasma membrane and small vesicles. Glycocalyx in the plants from the families Schisandraceae, Lauraceae, Boraginaceae, and Cycadaceae was found to consist of radially arranged helical cylindrical units, which are receptors of sporopollenin deposition. It is assumed that the receptor-independent accumulation of sporopollenin is also possible.     

Influence of mannan oligosaccharide,Ligustrum lucidum and Schisandra chinensis on parameters of antioxidative and immunological status of broilers

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate effects of dietary supplementation with Ligustrum lucidum (LL, 10 g/kg), Schisandra chinensis (SC, 10 g/kg), LL (10 g/kg) + mannan oligosaccharides (MOS, 50 mg/kg), or SC (10 g/kg) + MOS (50 mg/kg) on growth performance and parameters of antioxidative and immunological status of broilers. The results showed that feeding LL, SC, LL + MOS, or SC + MOS had no significant effect on growth performance of broilers relative to the control. However, compared to the control, LL, SC, LL + MOS, or SC + MOS significantly decreased malondialdehyde concentration in serum, thigh, and heart of broilers. In addition, glutathione reductase activity of heart and sera of the birds were significantly elevated by supplementation LL, SC, LL + MOS, or SC + MOS. Furthermore, LL, SC, LL + MOS, or SC + MOS significantly improved antibody titres against Newcastle disease virus and lymphocyte proliferation of broilers (p < 0.05). Whereas, no cooperating effect between LL (or SC) and MOS on antioxidant status and immunity of broilers were found.