Development of sperm cells in barley

Abstract

Ultrastructural events in barley sperm development were examined from the uninucleate microspore stage to establishment of two mature sperm cells in pollen grains. Microspore mitosis produces a vegetative nucleus and a naked generative cell, both embedded in vegetative cell cytoplasm. The generative cell membrane is enclosed by vegetative cell membrane. The generative cell, at first apparently unattached, becomes attached to the pollen wall and acquires a cell wall by centripetal vesicle accumulation. Wall formation may be complete at the time of generative cell karyokinesis; karyokinesis occurs while the generative cell is attached to the pollen wall. Cytokinesis of the generative cell is delayed. The subsequent stage is a binucleate, attached generative cell with a wall. Generative cell cytokinesis appears to involve formation of a partition between the two sperm nuclei. Eventual complete separation of the sperm cells occurs only after the two-celled derivative of the generative cell detaches from the pollen wall. Final stages in sperm cell separation are considered to result from degradation of the partitioning and surrounding wall, not from furrowing of a naked binucleate generative cell according to previous suggestions. Mature plastids were not observed in the generative cell or the sperms.