Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Structure characteristics and function of wheat endosperm transport tissues

  • Published:
Brazilian Journal of Botany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The cereal endosperm transport tissues commonly consist of endosperm transfer cells, endosperm conducting cells, and the embryo surrounding region. In this paper, the three endosperm transport tissues in wheat were observed using light, fluorescence, and electron microscopy. The results were as the following: (1) wall ingrowths within the outermost-layer endosperm transfer cells were simply parallel and had long rib-like thickenings whereas wall ingrowths within the inner-layer endosperm transfer cells had evident branches. The wheat endosperm transfer cells were finally redifferentiated into aleurone cells and the starchy endosperm. (2) The wheat endosperm conducting cells could be transformed into the central starchy endosperm and provide space for the embryo growth via disintegration. (3) The embryo surrounding region nursed the young embryo, whereas endosperm transfer cells and endosperm conducting cells nursed the scutellar embryo after the embryo surrounding region disappeared. Thus, endosperm transport tissues could coordinate with one another to favor the development of filial sink tissues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1–4
Fig. 5–10
Fig. 11–16
Fig. 17–22
Fig. 23–26
Fig. 27–32
Fig. 33–36

Abbreviations

DAP:

Days after pollination

PCD:

Programmed cell death

References

  • Becraft PW (2001) Cell fate specification in the cereal endosperm. Semin Cell Dev Biol 12:387–394

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cochrane MP, Paterson L, Gould E (2000) Changes in chalazal cell walls and in the peroxidase enzymes of the crease region during grain development in barley. J Exp Bot 51:507–520

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cosségal M, Vernoud V, Depège N, Rogowsky PM (2007) The embryo surrounding region. In: Olsen OA (ed) Endosperm. Springer, Berlin, pp 57–71

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kladnick A, Chamusco K, Dermastia M, Chourey P (2004) Evidence of programmed cell death in post-phloem transport cells of the maternal pedicel tissue in developing caryopsis of maize. Plant Physiol 136:3572–3581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Offler CE, McCurdy DW, Patrick JW, Talbot MJ (2003) Transfer cells: cells specialized for a special purpose. Annu Rev Plant Biol 54:431–454

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Olsen OA (2004) Nuclear endosperm development in cereals and Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell (Suppl) 16:S214–S227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radchuk V, Borisjuk L, Radchuk R, Steinbiss HH, Rolletschek H, Broeders S, Wobus U (2006) Jekyll encodes a novel protein involved in the sexual reproduction of barley. Plant Cell 18:1652–1666

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sabelli PA, Larkins BA (2009) The development of endosperm in grasses. Plant Physiol 149:14–26

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Talbot MJ, Offler CE, McCurdy DW (2002) Transfer cell wall architecture: a contribution towards understanding localized wall deposition. Protoplasma 219:197–209

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thiel J, Weier D, Sreenivasulu N, Strickert M, Weichert N, Melzer M, Czauderna T, Wobus U, Weber H, Weschke W (2008) Different hormonal regulation of cellular differentiation and function in nucellar projection and endosperm transfer cells: a microdissection-based transcriptome study of young barley grains. Plant Physiol 148:1436–1452

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y-K, Wang Z (2010) Current opinions on endosperm transfer cells in maize. Plant Cell Rep 29:935–942

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y-K, Wang Z (2011) Contrast observation and investigation of wheat endosperm transfer cells and nucellar projection transfer cells. Plant Cell Rep 30:1281–1288

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y-K, Wang Z (2014) Protein accumulation in aleurone cells, sub-aleurone cells and the center starch endosperm of cereals. Plant Cell Rep 33:1607–1615

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y-K, Wang Z, Gu Y-J (2012) Contrast of caryopsis transport tissues in maize, sorghum and wheat. Sciencepaper Online. http://www.paper.edu.cn/index.php/default/releasepaper/content/201203-123. Accessed 5 Mar 2012

  • Zheng Y-K, Wang Z, Gu Y-J (2014) Development and function of caryopsis transport tissues in maize, sorghum and wheat. Plant Cell Rep 33:1023–1031

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y-K, Wang Z, Yang J-C, Gu Y-J (2015a) Observation and comparison of structure changes in wheat caryopsis maternal tissues and endosperm. Braz J Bot. doi:10.1007/s40415-015-0142-1

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y-K, Xiong F, Wang Z, Gu Y-J (2015b) Observation and investigation of three endosperm transport tissues in sorghum caryopses. Protoplasma 252:705–714

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31270228 and 31461143105, 31271641, 31471438) to Yunjie Gu and Jianchang Yang, the National Basic Research Program (973 Program, 2012CB114306) and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions to Jianchang Yang, and the Postdoctoral Foundation of China (Grant No. 2014M550311) to Yankun Zheng.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China

    Yankun Zheng, Jianchang Yang & Zhong Wang

Authors
  1. Yankun Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jianchang Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhong Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zheng, Y., Yang, J. & Wang, Z. Structure characteristics and function of wheat endosperm transport tissues. Braz. J. Bot 38, 679–687 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-015-0173-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-015-0173-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation