Reorganization of microtubular cytoskeleton and formation of cellular processes during post-telophase in haemanthus endosperm.

We followed time-dependent post-telophase reorganization of the microtubule cytoskeleton on immunostained preparations of endosperm of the higher plant Haemanthus. After completion of mitosis, the phragmoplast continued to reorganize for several hours. This prompted the formation of phragmoplast-like derivatives (secondary and accessory phragmoplasts and peripheral microtubular ring). Next, elongated cellular protrusions (processes) appeared at the cell periphery. These processes contained long microtubule bundles and disorderly arranged actin filaments. Microtubule converging centers or accessory phragmoplasts were often present at the tips of the processes. Observation in vivo demonstrated that processes were formed at the cell periphery as extensions of lammelipodia or filopodia-type protrusions that commonly terminated with cytoplasmic blobs. We suggest that processes are derivatives of a peripheral microtubular ring that reorganizes gradually into cellular protrusions. Endosperm processes have several features of neuronal cells, or animal somatic cells with overexpressed MAPs. Since microtubule-containing processes were never detected shortly after extrusion of the cells from the embryo sac, this course of events might be restricted specifically to extruded endosperm and triggered either by removal of cells, their placement in monolayer on agar substrate, or both. Thus, post telophase behavior of endosperm cells offers a novel experimental system for studies of cytoskeleton in higher plants. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.