Host: The Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists
Pages 0126
In skunk cabbage, developmental changes in reproductive organ, spadix, are closely related to the transition of thermogenic stages. Spadix can keep its internal temperature at around 20 degrees Celsius in female stage, but cannot keep it in male stage. Although growing reproductive organs in non-thermogenic plants exhibit extensive morphological changes and active cellular dynamics, those features in thermogenic plants have remained unclear. Therefore, we investigated the internal structure of spadices during the transition of thermogenic stages. Cross-sectional analyses of anthers clearly show extensive anther development, such as disruption of tapetam structure and pollen development. Ultrastructural analyses show that mitochondrial contents in female tissue, such as petal, pistil, and stamen, are higher than those in male. Although the level of uncoupling proteins is higher in female mitochondria than in male mitochondria, their respiratory levels are similar. Based on these results, we will discuss the thermogenic mechanisms in skunk cabbage.
