FIGUEIREDO LAB

In most flowering plants, the development of a seed starts with the fertilization of the female gametes by two paternal sperm cells. This process is known as double fertilization and it leads to the formation of two fertilization products: the embryo and the endosperm. The embryo is diploid, with one maternal and one paternal genome copies, and it will develop to form the next generation, in the form of a new plant. Surrounding the embryo is the endosperm. This tissue is triploid in most plants, with two maternal and one paternal genome copies, and its function is to nourish the developing embryo. Thus, the endosperm is functionally analogous to the mammalian placenta. Finally, surrounding the two fertilization products is the seed coat. This structure is derived from the maternal ovule integuments and receives no direct genomic paternal contribution. This means that a developing seed contains three genetically distinct entities, that have to coordinate efforts in order for the seed to..

Primary location: Potsdam Germany