胚柄在胚胎发育过程中是一个暂时性的结构, 但却起着为胚体提供营养和生长调节因子的作用。相对胚体而言, 胚柄具有细胞类型单一、结构相对独立及发育时间短等特点, 其在胚胎发育的基因调控和细胞命运决定研究中具有独特的优势。该文从胚柄的形成及特点、胚柄在胚胎发育中的作用、信号传递系统对胚柄的影响以及与胚柄相关基因的功能等方面进行综述, 以期为研究胚柄在胚胎发育过程中所起的作用以及胚柄的命运决定提供参考信息。

The suspensor is a terminal embryonic structure that provides nutrients and growth regulators to the embryo proper during embryo development. In contrast to the embryo proper, the suspensor has a simple structure and a one-cell type that has a unique advantage in studies of gene regulation and cell fate determination. This paper presents advances in studies of suspensor formation, characteristics of the suspensor cell, genes that may be involved in suspensor development, and possible roles that suspensors play during embryogenesis.