Structure of Microspore Or Pollen Grain

Pre-fertilization in Plant: Pollen Grain

Pollen grain: 

• Pollen grains are microscopic structures produced by flowering plant anthers, carry male gametes and have an outer wall called exine and an inner wall called intine, crucial for fertilization in plants. 

Male gametophyte:

• The male gametophyte is a haploid phase in a plant's life cycle, derived from pollen grains, responsible for fertilization by producing sperm cells, consisting of a vegetative and generative cell. 

Development of Male Gametophyte:

• The pollen grain marks the beginning of male gametophyte development, undergoing first mitotic division to produce a larger, naked vegetative cell and a small, thin-walled generative cell.
• The vegetative cell is rich in food and has an irregular nucleus.
• The second mitotic division focuses on the generative cell, resulting in two non-motile male gametes.
• This process occurs either in the pollen grain or in the pollen tube.
• The pollen grains are shed from the anther, at this two- celled stage in most of the angiosperms.

Development of male gametophyte

Pollen product:

• Pollen products are plant-derived health supplements rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, and amino acids, used to boost immunity and energy levels, providing potential health benefits from the pollen grains. 

Pollen viability:

• Pollen viability refers to the duration it takes for a pollen grain to fertilize an ovule, which can vary significantly among species and can range from hours to weeks.

Pollen allergy:

• Pollen allergy, also known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis, occurs when the immune system reacts to inhaled pollen from trees, grasses, or weeds.
• Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, and nasal congestion during pollen-heavy seasons.