Electron-translucent angular areas in developing tapetum cell walls and pollen grains ofTilia platyphyllos

Abstract

InTilia platyphyllos, the anther tapetal cell walls undergo significant modifications from the tetrad stage onwards. During the tetrad stage the inner tangential and radial parts of the tapetal walls begin to dissolve, while the distal parts swell. After the tetrad stage, the distal and outer radial tapetal cell walls become covered by a thick, irregular, highly electron-dense, polysaccharide layer. Striking features of the maturing tapetal walls (microspore stage and later) are electron-translucent, structureless, unstainable angular areas of variable dimensions. Similar electron-translucent areas occur in the exine arcades and apertures, but also isolated in the locular fluid ofT. platyphyllos. Electron-translucent areas, that are also found in the exine arcades and tapetal cells of other angiosperms, can be interpreted as the products of poorly understood metabolic processes.