ORIGINAL ARTICLE Genotype-dependent efficiency of endosperm development in culture of selected cereals: histological and ultrastructural studies Marzena Popielarska-Konieczna & Małgorzata Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno & Monika Tuleja & Halina Ślesak & Paweł Kapusta & Izabela Marcińska & Jerzy Bohdanowicz Received: 30 March 2012 / Accepted: 11 May 2012 / Published online: 30 May 2012 # Springer-Verlag 2012 Abstract The paper reports studies, including histological and ultrastructural analyses, of in vitro cell proliferation and development of immature endosperm tissue isolated from caryopses of Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum, and Triti- cosecale plants. Endosperm isolated at 7–10 days post- anthesis developed well on MS medium supplemented with auxins and/or cytokinins. The efficiency of endosperm re- sponse was highly genotype-dependent and best in two winter cultivars of hexaploid species. The pathways of de- velopment and proliferation were very similar among the selected species and cultivars. Histological and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed that only the part of the endosperm not touching the medium surface continued growth and development, resulting in swelling. The central part of swollen regions was composed mainly of cells containing many large starch grains. The peripheric parts of developed endosperm consisted of highly vacuolat- ed cells and small cells with dense cytoplasm. SEM showed that cells from the swollen region were covered partially with a membraneous structure. Transmission electron mi- croscope studies of cells from the outer part of the develop- ing region showed features typical for cell activity connected with lipid metabolism. Keywords Triticale . Wheat . In vitro culture . Starchy endosperm . Scanning electron microscopy . Transmission electron microscopy Introduction The endosperm of angiosperms is a tissue unique in its origin, development, and ploidy level. In most angiosperms, it is a product of the fusion of a haploid sperm nucleus with two haploid polar nuclei within the embryo sac. This fusion results in a triploid structure, the endosperm, which devel- ops into a tissue ultimately consumed by the embryo. En- dosperm has been studied from a variety of points of view, addressing its evolution, role in seed development and ger- mination, genetics, physiology, and biochemistry (Sabelli and Larkins 2009). Such research may answer on many basic questions in developmental biology and provide new tools that enhance the practical uses of endosperm. Isolated mature and immature endosperm of different species has the potential to proliferate, differentiate, and finally regenerate Handling Editor: Alexander Schulz M. Popielarska-Konieczna (*) : M. Tuleja : H. Ślesak Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Jagiellonian University, Grodzka St. 52, 31-044 Cracow, Poland e-mail: m.popielarska-konieczna@uj.edu.pl M. Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno : J. Bohdanowicz Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, University of Gdańsk, Kładka St. 24, 80-822 Gdańsk, Poland P. Kapusta Department of Ecology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz St. 46, 32-512 Cracow, Poland I. Marcińska The F. Górski Institute of Plant Physiology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek St. 21, 30-239 Cracow, Poland Protoplasma (2013) 250:361–369 DOI 10.1007/s00709-012-0419-1