Calcium distribution during anther development in Impatiens balsamina

Abstract

The subcellular localization of loosely bound calcium in developing anthers of Impatiens balsamina (rose balzam) was investigated using potassium antimonate to precipitate the ions. At the sporogenous stage, few calcium precipitates were found in the young anthers. During meiosis of the microspore mother cell, the amount of calcium precipitates increased both inside these cells and in their cell walls. After meiosis, the resulting microspores accumulated abundant calcium precipitates in their cytoplasm and vacuoles. The microspores underwent mitosis to produce a bicellular pollen grain, in which the large vacuoles disintegrated, and the calcium precipitates of the vegetative cell were again localized in the cytoplasm. The amount of precipitates decreased during pollen maturity and finally disappeared from the inside of the pollen grains and accumulated on the pollen walls.