The study of sexual plant reproduction by in vivo live-imaging with genetics

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26840104
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Morphology/Structure
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Mizuta Yoko 名古屋大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 研究員 (70645142)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 花粉管 / 植物生殖 / 花粉管ガイダンス / 二光子顕微鏡 / ライブイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the flowering plants, sexual reproduction begins with pollination, the transfer of pollen to stigma of the pistil. After pollen germination, pollen tube elongates in the pistil, are attracted to the ovules (ovule develops into a seed), and finally, fertilization occurs. This phenomenon is called as 'pollen tube guidance'. This process is an important in the reproductive process, however, the molecular mechanisms of how pollen tube grows toward the ovule is largely unknown.
Here we attempted to visualize pollen tube growth and guidance inside the clearling pistil of the Arabidopsis thaliana by the two-photon microscopy. Addition to that, the method for live imaging inside the living pistil was developed. As a result, I succeeded to deep and live imaging of pollen tube growth and guidance in the pistil.

Free Research Field

植物生殖