Cytological features of various microspore derivatives appearing during culture of isolated maize microspores

Microspore derivatives occurring in culture of maize microspores were studied by light and electron microscopy. The cultures showed a high degree of heterogeneity throughout the whole period of cultivation. Several types of androgenic structures at different developmental stages were observed, indicating a high level of asynchrony among microspores following the androgenic pathway. During the first 5 to 7 days of culture, multicellular structures developed inside the exine. At later stages of culture the developing microspores ruptured the pollen wall and formed structures variable in cellular characteristics. Three main types were distinguished: (i) one-domain structures consisting of small or large cells only; (ii) two-domain structures with large and small cells, the domains differing in size and cellular characteristics; (iii) callus-like structures. The two-domain structures seem to resemble zygotic proembryos which also contain two different parts, the suspensor and the apical region. The observed variability is most likely related to differences in gene activity during the inductive stage of androgenesis and the genetic properties of the microspores themselves, rather than to the conditions of in vitro culture.