Question

Mention the ploidy of the different types of cells present in the female gametophyte of an angiosperm.

Answer 1

The different cells of the female gametophyte arise by repeated mitotic division of the functional megaspore. This functional megaspore is in turn developed by the meiotic division of the megaspore mother cell and thus is haploid in nature. Therefore, almost all the cells present in the female gametophyte (three antipodals, two synergids and one egg) are haploid in nature. However, the central cell consists of two haploid nuclei, which may fuse to give rise to a single diploid nucleus. Hence, the ploidy level of the central cell may become diploid.