Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Describe double fertilization


It takes place between sperm cells in male parts(anther) and 2 cells in the female parts(ovule). Ovule contains the megasporocyte(mother cell) which is diploid and undergoes meiosis to produce 4 haploid megaspores. In some cases 3 degenerate and 1 survive undergoes 3 rounds of mitosis to produce 8 haploid nuclei(share same cytoplasm) called embryo sac. Cell walls form 3 cells then form the microphyle opening of ovule. Three other cells form called antipodal cells 2 synergids and 1 egg. Two nuclei remain together in one large cell. Before egg cell and the single cell with 2 polar nuclei can take part in double fertilization the male gametes(sperm) must move through these cells in the female reproductive sites. To reach the embryo sac a pollen grain lands on the stigma germinates then sends a long pollen tube through the style and ovary. A generative cell travels down the pollen tube behind the tube nucleus. The generative cell goes through mitosis and produces 2 haploid sperm cells. The pollen tube reaches the micropyle of the ovule and makes its way into one of the synergids releasing the sperm cells. The synergid degenerates and one sperm cell fertilizes the egg cell producing a diploid zygote. The other sperm cell fuses with the polar nuclei. This fertilizes them and produces a triploid cell. The zygote develops into an embryo and it's food supply is the triploid cell which develops into the endosperm.

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