Confocal Imaging of Seeds

Abstract

In flowering plants, proper seed development is achieved through the constant interplay of fertilization products, embryo and endosperm, and maternal tissues. Understanding such a complex biological process requires microscopy techniques able to unveil the seed internal morphological structure. Seed thickness and relatively low permeability make conventional tissue staining techniques impractical unless combined with time-consuming dissecting methods. Here, we describe two techniques to imaging the three-dimensional structure of Arabidopsis seeds by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Both procedures, while differing in their time of execution and resolution, are based on cell wall staining of seed tissues with fluorescent dyes.

Keywords: Arabidopsis; Calcofluor; Cell wall; Confocal laser scanning microscopy; Propidium iodide; SR2200; Seed architecture; Seed development; Staining; Starch.