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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Preparation of Intact Tissue for Microscopic Analysis of the Endosperm Cell Layer in Developing and Mature Arabidopsis Seeds
Published on: May 16, 2025
[Research perspective in bio-thermodynamics of seed and pollen cell membrane changes induced by desiccation]
Hong-Yan Cheng1, Song-Quan Song
1Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China. hycheng@ns.ibcas.ac.cn
Abstract:
Membranes are considered one of the primary sites of lethal damage to cells that are not desiccation tolerant. This paper reviews recent research work about membrane characteristic and behavior changes in state during seed and pollen desiccation in the following aspects: (1) membrane phase transition, (2) dehydration--induced stress and strains in membrane and macromolecules, (3) glassy-state formation and its effects on membrane depending on the position, (4) different role on membrane phase transition of different size of the glass-forming solutes, (5) changes of intracellular distribution of amphiphilic substances during dehydration and rehydration. This paper is aimed to enlighten new research ways to find optimum storage conditions for germplasm conservation of seeds and pollens for long duration by minimizing cell injury.
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