Pattern formation in miniature: the female gametophyte of flowering plants.
نویسندگان
چکیده
Plant reproduction involves gamete production by a haploid generation, the gametophyte. For flowering plants, a defining characteristic in the evolution from the 'naked-seed' plants, or gymnosperms, is a reduced female gametophyte, comprising just seven cells of four different types--a microcosm of pattern formation and gamete specification about which only little is known. However, several genes involved in the differentiation, fertilization and post-fertilization functions of the female gametophyte have been identified and, recently, the morphogenic activity of the plant hormone auxin has been found to mediate patterning and egg cell specification. This article reviews recent progress in understanding the pattern formation, maternal effects and evolution of this essential unit of plant reproduction.
منابع مشابه
Special Section: Embryology of Flowering Plants
The plant life cycle alternates between the diploid sporophyte (spore-producing organism) and the haploid gametophyte (gamete-producing organism). The female gametophyte of flowering plants develops within the ovule, a specialized structure within the ovary, which gives rise to the seed after fertilization. The female gametophyte, or embryo sac, contains a small number of clonally derived cell ...
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عنوان ژورنال:
- Development
دوره 137 2 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2010