Anthers express the most genes of any plant organ, and their development involves sequential redifferentiation of many cell types to perform distinctive roles from inception through pollen dispersal. Agricultural yield and plant breeding depend on understanding and consequently manipulating anthers, a compelling motivation for basic plant biology research to contribute. After stamen initiation, two theca form at the tip, and each forms an adaxial and abaxial lobe composed of pluripotent Layer 1-derived and Layer 2-derived cells. After signal perception or self-organization, germinal cells are specified from Layer 2-derived cells, and these secrete a protein ligand that triggers somatic differentiation of their neighbors. Historically, recovery of male-sterile mutants has been the starting point for studying anther biology. Many genes and some genetic pathways have well-defined functions in orchestrating subsequent cell fate and differentiation events. Today, new tools are providing more detailed information; for example, the developmental trajectory of germinal cells illustrates the power of single cell RNA-seq to dissect the complex journey of one cell type. We highlight ambiguities and gaps in available data to encourage attention on important unresolved issues.

中文翻译：

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花药发育——制造花粉的漫长道路。

花药表达所有植物器官中最多的基因，它们的发育涉及许多细胞类型的连续再分化，以从开始到花粉传播发挥独特的作用。农业产量和植物育种取决于对花药的理解和操作，这是基础植物生物学研究做出贡献的一个令人信服的动机。雄蕊起始后，两个卵泡膜在尖端形成，每个卵泡膜形成由多能层 1 衍生细胞和层 2 衍生细胞组成的近轴和远轴叶。在信号感知或自组织之后，生殖细胞从第 2 层衍生的细胞中分离出来，这些细胞分泌一种蛋白质配体，触发其邻居的体细胞分化。从历史上看，雄性不育突变体的恢复一直是研究花药生物学的起点。许多基因和一些遗传途径在协调随后的细胞命运和分化事件方面具有明确的功能。如今，新工具提供了更详细的信息；例如，生殖细胞的发育轨迹说明了单细胞 RNA-seq 剖析一种细胞类型复杂旅程的能力。我们强调现有数据中的模糊性和差距，以鼓励人们关注重要的未解决问题。