Title: Life Cycle of Bryophytes - Meaning & Life Cycle - Biology Reader
Headings: Life Cycle of Bryophytes
Life Cycle of Bryophytes
Content: Life Cycle of Bryophytes
Meaning of Bryophytes
Life Cycle
Asexual Reproduction
Sexual Reproduction
Gametophyte Stage
Sporophyte Stage
Conclusion

Content: The spores first develop a green, filiform complex called a protonema. A protonema goes through several maturation phases, after which it starts developing rhizoids and aerial filaments. Red light and kinetin stimulate the cells that promoting the growth of shoots, which later enlarge to modify into mature gametophytes. Then, the gametophytes develop a specialized reproductive structure ( gametangia) at the apex of main shoot that holds the gametes (eggs and sperms). The leafy gametophyte develops separate branches for the male gametangium ( antheridium) and the female gametangium ( archegonium ). The male antheridia produce on the upper branches that hold antherozoids or sperms, while the female archegonium carries a single egg or archaegonia. Before fertilization, the anthrezoids of the male gametangium of same or different plant goes down to the archaegonium via water droplets. There is a unique feature, where both the gametangia of bryophytes are enclosed by a sterile layer of non-reproductive tissue that is absent in algal gametangia. Sporophyte Stage
This stage begins with the fusion of a biflagellate sperm with a single ovum inside the archegonium. After fusion, nuclear and cytoplasmic exchange occurs between anthreaoids and archegonia, resulting in the formation of the diploid zygote (2n), and the process is called fertilization.