Male Reproductive System

Microsporangium
Stamen consists of an anther containing four pollen sacs or
microsporangia (tetrasporangiate), supported by a slender filament.
Microsporangia are sporangia that produce microspores and give rise
to male gametes.
Microsporangia occur in all plants that have heterosporic life cycles.
In gymnosperms and angiosperm anthers, the microsporangia produce
the microspore mother cells (the microsporocytes,), which then produce
four microspores through the process of meiosis.
The microspores divide by mitosis to produce pollen grains.
A mature anther will have a two-lobed anther that develops four pollen
sacs that situate at four corners of the anther.
The anther wall layers from periphery to center consist of :

A single layer of epidermis between, which becomes stretched and

shrivels off at maturity
A single layer of endothecium, the cells of which have fibrous
thickenings.
One to three middle layers whose cells disintegrate in the mature
anther
A single layer of tapetum. The tapetal cells may be uni-, bi-
or multinucleate and possess dense cytoplasm.
The cells of the primary sporogenous layer divide further and give rise
to diploid sporogenous tissue.
 Male gametophyte

The increasing size of the spore results in its vacuolization.

So its nucleus is pushed to one side either after a period of rest (2-3
days) or immediately the nucleus divides into two, the vegetative and the
generative.

All the spores of the anther divide synchronously so that they are all at
the same stage of development at any given time

After a time, the generative cell divides into two either in the spore or
in the tube and gives rise to two male gametes
 THE GYNOECIUM
Inside the ovary are found the ovules attached to thickened ridges
known as placentas

Ovules (immature seeds) are attached to thickened projections inside

cavity of ovary called as placentas by short stalks (funicle)

Ovules are provided with two coats: outer & inner integuments

Inner to integuments is a special kind of tissue Nucellus – rich in

reserve food materials – Within Nucellus the embryo sac is present

The two integuments do not cover the nucellus completely but have a
ruminate opening at the top called micropylar end that leads to nucellus

The nucellus & integuments are free from each other at all places
except at the base where they are completely fused (called chalaza)

Place of entry of funicle into ovule is known as the hilum

Development of the Ovule (Megasporangium)

The archesporial cell divides to form a primary parietal cell & a

primary sporogenous cell.

The pri. Parietal cell may divide & form a variable no. of wall layers,
or it may remain undivided.

The primary sporogenous cell may function directly as megaspore

mother cell without undergoing any further divisions

The megaspore mother cell divides meiotically forming a linear tetrad

of megaspores

Of the 4 megapores, thus formed, the one at the chalazal end is
generally the functioning megaspore, i.e., it gives rise to the embryo-sac.

The other 3-distintegrate

MEGASPORANGIUM
 THE EMBRYO SAC THAT HAS FEMALE GAMETE

Embryo sac is within the nucellus below micropyle has the following 8-nucleate or 7-
celled structure before fertilization

In the middle of the immature embryo sac, there is a small, highly specialized
spherical body, the nucleus.

This nucleus divides into two & the two daughter nuclei move away from each other
& reach the opposite ends of the embryo sac.

Then, each of them divides twice in succession, so that at each end of the embryo sac
there are now four nuclei

One nucleus from each end move towards centre to form a central cell & nuclei fuse
together to form diploid secondary nucleus

3 nuclei at micropylar end get wall formation or cells (egg apparatus)

Middle one is egg (female gamete) & 2 side ones are synergids

3 nuclei at other end (Chalazal) form into 3 antipodal cells

 Androecium
Stamen Microsporogenesis Male gametophyte formation
Filament Microsporangium (pollen sac) Pollen grain or microspore (into tube
Anther Microspore mother cells (Meiosis) cell & generative cell) – generative
Microspores (pollen grains) cell into two male gametes)

Flower Fertilization
1 male gamete + central cell fusion
(triple nucleus – endosperm)
1 male gamte + egg fusion – zygote
Hence double fertilization

Gynoecium
Stigma Megasporangium (ovule) Female gametophyte formation
Style Megasporogenesis 3 mitotic divisions & 8 cells
Ovary Megaspore mother cell (Embryo sac)
Meiosis – 4 cells Micropylar end (egg + synergids)
3 degenerate & one remains Chalazal end (antipodal cells)
two cells reach centre & fuse
to form central cell with 2 nuclei
POLLINATION
Stigma

Pollen tube

Embryo Sac
FERTILIZATION
 FERTILIZATION AFTER POLLINATION

Fertilization: The pollen tube deposits two male nuclei. One fuses with egg to form
the embryo & the other with polar nuclei at the centre to form endosperm.
Of the two male gametes one moves to oosphere (egg) & the other
moves to secondary nucleus or to the pair of unfused polar nuclei at the
centre of embryo sac, as the case may be.

Nucleus fusions then follow, leading to double fertilization – one for

the formation of the zygote & other for primary endosperm nucleus
(triploid i.e. complement of 3 sets of the haploid no. of chromosomes)

This is also known as triple fusion (3n)

The endosperm nourishes the growing embryo

 DEVELOPMENT OF A DICOT EMBRYO
Development of a dicot embryo: Tranverse & longitudinal divisions of the zygote leads
to young globular embryo that gives procambium. It subsequently differentiates into
two cotyledons with radicle and a suspensor to nourish and provide support.
DEVELOPMENT OF A MONOCOT EMBRYO
 Endosperm development and different types

Endosperm is the food laden tissue formed during the development of

angiospermous seed which provides essential nutrients to the growing
embryo & also the young seedling at the time of seed germination

It is a product of triple fusion during fertilization

Based on first & subsequent divisions of primary endosperm nucleus,

the endosperm is of three types –

Nuclear (during development of endosperm repeated free nuclear

divisions without cell formation initially but finally formed)

Cellular (nuclear divisions followed immediately by cell formation)

Helobial (initial few cells have cell formation & later on free nuclear
divisions in the developmental stage).
 Dicot seeds Monocot seeds
Two cotyledons Single cotyledon
Coleoptile is absent Coleoptile, a specialized organ for shoot growth, is present. This
protective sheath around embryonic leaves has two tasks
(pushing through soil & seeking sunlight). Once exposed to light
all shoot tissues have capacity to participate in growth towards
light. The young leaves push through the coleoptile into sunlight,
turn green, & start photosynthesizing. Remaining seed has
endosperm & scutellum within the seed coat to nourish the
growing seedling
Food storage is in cotyledons Food storage is in endosperm

Absent Aleurone layer surrounding endosperm within seeds is present. It

provides enzymes to break carbohydrates that could be used to
mobile foods to nourish the growing seedling
Primary roots persist after Primary root dies after coming out from radicle and replaced by
growing from radicle and for adventitious roots
tap root
Cotyledons are epigeal Cotyledons are hypogeal (below ground)
(appear above ground also)
Plant growth hormones

(i)Auxins = promote root-development & also provide apical dominance

(ii)Gibberellins (Gibberella fujikorai) = Break in dormancy & induce elongation of

internodes, parthenocarpic development of fruits & other effects

(iii)Ethylene gas induces fruiting - artificial ripening

(iv)Auxin + Gibberellin - ABA = They prevent fruit dropping

(v)Cytokinin = They cause general growth activity

(vi) Abscisic acid (ABA) = they cease growth

Vitamins in trace amounts exert profound influence

Carotenoids, precursors of vitamin A, help in cutting of excessive light & are also in
photoperiodic components; thiamine influences development of roots; riboflavin a
constituent of Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) & Flavin adenine nucleotide (FAN) play
important roles in several metabolic activities.