The double fertilization of flowering plants was discovered a century ago.
The cytology of the gametes is now well known. However the description of t
he fertilization steps is still poor and most of the cellular and molecular
mechanisms involved are unknown. Recent research using in vitro fertilizat
ion demonstrated that the early steps of fertilization share some homology
with those in animal species. In particular, gamete fusion is followed by a
cytosolic calcium increase in the fertilized egg as well as a calcium infl
ux. Further understanding of fertilization also comes from the analysis of
mutants isolated in Arabidopsis thaliana. Important new ideas have already
emerged from these studies such as the importance of the female gametophyte
in embryo development, and an early silencing of the male genome during th
e first days following gamete fusion. (C) 2001 Academie des sciences/Editio
ns scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.