Question

Filiform apparatus is found in the _______________.
(A) Egg
(B) Suspensor
(C) Endosperm
(D) Synergids

Answer 1

Hint: Filiform apparatus is found inside the ovary of the flower. It is the thickened and prominent structure. These are finger-like projections located near the micropylar end of the embryo sac.

Complete answer:
A filiform apparatus is a group of finger-like structures/projections of synergids that are mainly involved in absorbing and conducting food materials from the nucleus into the embryo sac. They also secrete certain chemicals that direct the pollen tubes towards the embryo sac. Synergids cells are two specialized cells that lie adjacent to the egg cell in the female gametophyte of angiosperms and play an essential role in pollen tube guidance and function. Synergids are diploid as all the three cells (synergid, polar nuclei, and antipodals) formed by mitosis from the functional megaspore, they are haploid(n). Egg cells fertilized with the male gamete to form a diploid zygote. The synergids direct pollen tube growth toward the female gametophyte and facilitate the entrance of the tube into the embryo sac. Basically, synergids are a part of the egg apparatus in flowering plants. The synergids cells are located in the female gametophyte and are essential for angiosperm reproduction. A pollen tube grows into one of the synergid cells, ruptures and releases the sperm cells during fertilization. The synergids produce an attractant that guides the pollen tube to the female gametophyte.
Hence, the correct answer is option (D), i.e., Synergids.

Note: Besides synergids, antipodal cells are also present, they are three in number and are the nutritional centre. The antipodal cells which are formed in the embryo sac are located towards the chalazal end which later on degenerates.