Preprophase Band in Fern Protonemata: Mechanism of Development and Comparison with Flowering Plants

Abstract

In multicellular plants, oriented cell division is one of the essential processes in development. Fern protonemata provide a unique system for the study of cell division because of their simple tissue organization and photoregulation of cell division. The site of cell division seems to be regulated by a preprophase band of microtubules. Displacement of organelles by centrifugation revealed mechanisms involved in preprophase band development ahd function in protonemata of Adiantum capillus-veneris L. This review focuses on mechanisms of preprophase band development in fern protonemata.