ENDOSPERM DEVELOPMENT AFTER FUSION OF ISOLATED, SINGLE MAIZE SPERM AND CENTRAL CELLS IN-VITRO

We demonstrate here the possibility of endosperm development in vitro after the fusion of pairs of an isolated sperm and an isolated central cell of maize. The occurrence of karyogamy and the time course of the fusion of sperm and central cell nuclei are presented. The fusion of the sperm nucleus occurred either with one of the two polar nuclei or with the secondary nucleus and was completed within 2 hr after in vitr o cell fusion. The in vitro study of early events after cell and nucle ar fusion indicates that the resulting primary endosperm cell develops into a characteristic tissue capable of self-organization apart from the mother tissue. The technology presented here opens the way for new cellular and molecular studies, especially of early events after sper m and central cell fusion, These studies should lead to a better under standing of the processes of double fertilization and endosperm develo pment.