Ultracytochemical Localization of ATPase Activity in the Degenerating Nucellar Cells of Wheat During Degeneration

Ultracytochemical localization of ATPase activity was carried out using a lead phosphate precipitation technique in the nucellar cells of wheat during degeneration. ATPase was only localized on the plasma membranes of nueellar cells at the. early degenerative stage, then decreased and disappeared at the mid-degenerative stage. Meantime it was also observed in the nuclear chromatin and some cytoplasmic organelles. ATPase activity was only observed in the nuclear chromatin in the extremely degenerated nucellar cells. Two patterns of unclear degeneration was found in the degenerated nucellar cells. A lot of small fragments with ATPase from the degenerated nuclei moved toward the embryo sac. It is suggested that the change of ATPase activity on the plasma membranes is related to the physiological change of nucellar cells, and that in the nuclear chromatin is associated with the stages movement of chromatin during the process of nucellar cells degeneration.