Establishment of the male germline and sperm cell movement during pollen germination and tube growth in maize.

ABSTRACT: Two sperm cells are required to achieve double fertilization in flowering plants (angiosperms). In contrast to animals and lower plants such as mosses and ferns, sperm cells of flowering plants (angiosperms) are immobile and are transported to the female gametes (egg and central cell) via the pollen tube. The two sperm cells arise from the generative pollen cell either within the pollen grain or after germination inside the pollen tube. While pollen tube growth and sperm behaviour has been intensively investigated in model plant species such as tobacco and lily, little is know about sperm dynamics and behaviour during pollen germination, tube growth and sperm release in grasses. In the March issue of Journal of Experimental Botany, we have reported about the sporophytic and gametophytic co

SUBMITTER: Kliwer I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3014542 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature