Abstract
In maize, in vitro fertilization system, consisting of gamete isolation, fusion of isolated gametes and culture of produced zygotes, has been established, and the cells and embryos are successfully used as materials to investigate the molecular mechanisms of fertilization and early embryogenesis. In the preset study, we established in vitro fertilization system using rice gametes. Ovaries were first cut transversally in mannitol solution and subsequent pushing the lower part of the dissected ovaries resulted in release of egg cells. Sperm cells were isolated by bursting the pollen grains in mannitol solution. Using the isolated rice egg and sperm cells, in vitro fertilization was established via electrofusion. The produced zygote formed cell wall and divided into 2-celled embryo. Moreover, the 2-celled embryo developed into a cell cluster, via globular-like embryo. Currently, we are examining ability of the cell cluster to form shoot, coleoptile and root.
