Question

During the development of the female gametophyte, the functional megaspore undergoes mitotic divisions without immediate cell wall formation. What are these divisions called?

Options

• Free nuclear mitotic divisions

• Binary fission divisions

• Cytokinetic divisions

• Meiotic divisions

Answer 1

The functional megaspore undergoes three successive free nuclear mitotic divisions. These are mitotic divisions where the nucleus divides but cell walls are not immediately formed between the daughter nuclei. This allows the nuclei to move freely within the enlarging megaspore before eventual cell wall formation creates the 7-celled structure.