Module: | Pre-fertilization: Micro/Megasporogenesis
Q7: Consider the following statements regarding the filiform apparatus and associated structures:
1. Synergids possess special cellular thickenings at the micropylar tip known as the filiform apparatus.
2. The primary function of the filiform apparatus is to guide the entry of pollen tubes into the synergid.
3. The antipodal cells, which assist in nourishment, are structurally situated at the micropylar end of the embryo sac.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. The primary function of the filiform apparatus is to guide the entry of pollen tubes into the synergid.
3. The antipodal cells, which assist in nourishment, are structurally situated at the micropylar end of the embryo sac.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: A
The correct option is A. Statements 1 and 2 are correct, but Statement 3 is incorrect.
Within the egg apparatus at the micropylar pole, the two synergid cells are highly specialized.
They exhibit prominent cellular finger-like thickenings at their micropylar apex called the filiform apparatus.
The causal mechanism here is chemotropism; the filiform apparatus secretes chemical attractants that actively guide the pollen tube as it enters the ovule via the micropyle, ensuring it discharges the male gametes specifically into a synergid.
Statement 3 fails because the antipodal cells are located exclusively at the chalazal end, opposite the micropylar pole.
Their role is largely vegetative and they typically degenerate post-fertilization.
The structural map of the embryo sac is non-negotiable in standard pedagogical testing, making the spatial placement of these cells a high-frequency testing zone.
Within the egg apparatus at the micropylar pole, the two synergid cells are highly specialized.
They exhibit prominent cellular finger-like thickenings at their micropylar apex called the filiform apparatus.
The causal mechanism here is chemotropism; the filiform apparatus secretes chemical attractants that actively guide the pollen tube as it enters the ovule via the micropyle, ensuring it discharges the male gametes specifically into a synergid.
Statement 3 fails because the antipodal cells are located exclusively at the chalazal end, opposite the micropylar pole.
Their role is largely vegetative and they typically degenerate post-fertilization.
The structural map of the embryo sac is non-negotiable in standard pedagogical testing, making the spatial placement of these cells a high-frequency testing zone.