A microsporangium has 450 pollen mother cells…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A microsporangium has pollen mother cells. All of them complete meiosis, and every microspore becomes a pollen grain that forms two male gametes.
- How many microspores are formed?
- How many pollen grains are there?
- How many male gametes are made in all?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
A pollen mother cell (PMC) is diploid, with chromosomes. It divides by meiosis into four haploid microspores, with chromosomes each. Each microspore divides by mitosis into a vegetative cell and a generative cell. The generative cell divides by mitosis into two male gametes. Mitosis keeps the chromosome number.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. PMCs.
Plan. Multiply by four, then by two.
Step 1. Microspores. .
Step 2. Pollen grains. Each microspore becomes one pollen grain, so there are grains.
Step 3. Male gametes. .
Answer: ; ; .
Check. There are male gametes for each PMC, and .
Watch out. The number of microspores and the number of pollen grains are the same.
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