Embryogenesis in plants

Embryogenesis…
 Process of development of embryos
 May occur naturally from sexual
fertilization to form a zygotic embryos-
- seed
 Plants can also form somatic embryos-
somatic embryogenesis
 Without fertilization
 Zygotic and somatic embryogenesis share
a number of developmental stages
Zygotic embryogenesis
 Zygote as a product of sexual fertilization
 Zygote goes thru mitotic divisions
 Embryogenesis establishes basic
plant body plan only
 Knowledge of embryogenesis comes from
Arabidopsis

 The stages/process inlvolved:

 1) Enlargement and establishment of
polarity in zygote
 Apical end
 Basal end
Embryogenesis…
 2) First asymmetrical/unequal division
 Small apical cell and

 large basal cell

 The two cells follow different

developmental pathway
 Apical cell gives rise to embryo proper,

 basal cell gives rise to suspensor

Embryogenesis…
 3) Apical cell divides first longitudinally,
and transversally to produce an 8 cell
proembryo called an octant
 Divisions are precise, and
simultaneous
 Some differentiation takes place
 Upper 4 cell layers become different
from lower 4 cells

 4) Octant divides several times to produce

a globular embryo (globular stage)
Embryogenesis…
 At globular stage, cell differentiation
occurs;
 Outer cell will become protoderm-epidermis
 Middle cells will become ground meristem
 Innermost cells will form procambial cells
 This is known as radial patterning of tissues
 5) Globular embryo expands rapidly-by
cell divisions of cells in apical end to
produce a structure resembling a heart-
the heart stage
Embryogenesis…
 Uppermost part becomes cotyledons
 Shoot Apical meristem is established
between the two cotyledons

 6) Basal cell divides several times to give

rise to a suspensor
 uppermost cell of suspensor becomes
the hypophysis
 Hypophysis participates in embryo
formation to form part of root apical
meristem
Embryogenesis…

 7) Hypophysis continue to
divide and establish the root
apical meristem
 At this stage, the Shoot –root
axis/apical-basal end of plant is
established
embryogenesis

 8) the heart-shaped embryo

elongates further to form the
torpedo stage embryo
 9) further growth of torpedal embryo may
cause it to curve
 restricted by space in ovule
 Embryo looks like a walking stick- this is called
walking stick stage
Embryogenesis…
 Note:
 Establishment of body plan of embryo
occurs very early during embryogenesis
 Many genes guide the development of
the embryo such as the body plan and
patterning
 Some of these are homeotic genes
Embryogenesis…
 Hormones are involved:
 Embryogenesis—
 period of high cell division- IAA and
cytokinins are high
 IAA- involved in patterning and establishment
of polarity in young embryo
 GA’s- cell expansion of embryo and
endosperm
Embryogenesis…
Summary- major events
 1) establishment of polarity in zygote
 2) radial patterning
 Establishment of initial cells protoderm,
ground meristem & procambium – @
globular stage
 3) Establishment of shoot- root axis ( apical
–basal pattern @end of globular/heart
stage
 4) Establishment of shoot-root apical
meristems @ heart stage
 5) initiation of cotyledons- @ heart stage