Planned and produced by Tokyo Cinema Shinnsha Co., Inc.
2000　Calor 35min

Awards

41th Science and Technology Film and Video Featival, Tokyo, 2000
The Best Reserch Film, 21th International Biennial of Scientific Films, Ronda, Spain, 2001 TEPIA GRAND PRIX, Tokyo 2001

Abstract

　A little more than a century ago an important botanical discovery was reported from Japan. In 1896 Hirase Sakugoro discovered flagellated sperm in a seed of Ginkgo biloba, then Ikeno Seiichiro found the same phenomenon in Cycas revoluta. Botanists around the world were excited by these discoveries.

　In the higher plants, like most gymnosperms and angiosperms, male gametes or non-flagellated sperm cells are sent direct to egg cells through pollen tubes. In lower plants, flagellate sperm cells to swim towards egg cells in water.
The discoveries made by Hirase and Ikeno indicated that the Ginkgo and cycads are intermediate forms between higher and lower plants on the evolutionary line. Among the seed plants it is only the Ginkgo and cycads which have been found to have flagellated sperm cells in their life-cycles.

　In the last few years, at the end of the 20th Century, has the detailed process of fertilization of these higher plants has been recorded successfully in the living state.

Scientific supervisor:

HORI Terumitsu, D. Sc., Prpf., Institute of Biological Sciences, The University of Tsukuba

Advisor

KUROIWA Tsuneyoshi, D. Sc., Prof., Dept of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo

Cooperators

Fertilization of Marchantia polymorpha and Lygodium japonicum： MIYAMURA Shin’ichi, D. Sc., Lecturer, Institute of Biological Sciences, The University of Tsukuba
Mesostigma sp. :MATSUNAGA Shigeru, D. Sc., Institute of Biological Sciences, The University of Tsukuba
Photograph of sperm of Lygodium japanicum： SAKAUSHI Shinji, Institute of Biological Sciences, The University of Tsukuba
Specimens of Gingko biloba for light microscope ：MICHIKAWA Muneo, Dept of Reserch Development, The University of Tsukuba
Double fertilization of Torenia fourneri ：HIGASHIYAMA Tetsuya, D. Sc., Dept of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo
Thanks for offer of pictures: Coleocaete pluvinata： Linda F., Graham, D., Prof., Dept of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sperm of Chara sp.： O. KIERMAYER, D. Prof., Botanisches Institut der Universtaet Saltzburg W. G. URL, D. Prof.m Institut fuer Pflanzenphysiologie der Universtet Wien

Acknowledgements

Koishikawa Botanical Garden
IWF, Goettingen
SONY Corporation

Staff role

Camera: TANIGUCHI Tsuneya
Script and direction: SUZUKI Yuki
Natural sound: ISOYAMA Naoki music
Arrangement: YAMAZAKI Hiroshi
Narration: Mike BULLIVANT
English narration text arrangements: HORI Shihomi ,Murray WESTON,
Director British Universities Film and Video Council
Ｐroducer: OKADA Kazuo

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Color video available both in 525 lines and 625 lines, 35min, TokyoCinema, 2000 Narration in Japanese or English