Megaspore mother cell

Megaspore Mother Cell

A megaspore mother cell is a diploid cell in which meiosis will occur, resulting in the production of four megaspores (Solomon, Eldra. et al). This megasporcyte is formed from two distinct processes – megasporogenesis and megagametogensis (Raven, Peter,et al) .

Within each Sporangium, meiosis of a megaspore mother cell produces four haploid megaspores (Raven, Peter,et al). In gymnosperms and angiosperms, only one of these four megaspores is functional; the other three soon degenerate (jburroughs.org). The one of these megaspore that remains divides mitotically and develops into the female gametophyte, which eventually produces eggs (Raven, Peter,et al).

References: Solomon, Eldra P., 2005, Biology, Thomson, Brooks/Cole, United States Raven, Peter H., 2005, Biology of Plants, W.H. Freeman and Company Publishers, United States juburroughs.org

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