Tapetal cells areA) UninucleateB) BinucleateC) MultinucleateD) Enucleate

The correct answer is: C) Multinucleate
Tapetal cells are specialized cells in the anther of flowering plants that play a crucial role in the development of pollen grains. They are found in the tapetum, which is the innermost layer of cells in the anther.
Key Points:
1. Function of Tapetal Cells:
o Tapetal cells provide essential nutrients and enzymes needed for the development of pollen grains.
o They are involved in the synthesis of substances like sporopollenin, a durable compound that forms the outer layer of pollen grains, making them resistant to environmental stresses.
2. Nature of Tapetal Cells:
o Multinucleate: Tapetal cells are usually multinucleate, meaning they have multiple nuclei within each cell. This is due to repeated nuclear division without cytokinesis (cell division), resulting in a cell with several nuclei.
3. Development and Role in Pollen Formation:
o As the anther matures, the tapetal cells break down to release materials that help in the formation of pollen grains.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
1. A) Uninucleate:
o Uninucleate cells have only one nucleus, which does not describe the tapetal cells. Tapetal cells are typically multinucleate.
2. B) Binucleate:
o Binucleate cells have exactly two nuclei. While tapetal cells can sometimes appear binucleate during specific stages, they are more commonly multinucleate.
3. D) Enucleate:
o Enucleate cells lack a nucleus altogether, which is not characteristic of tapetal cells. Tapetal cells are generally multinucleate, not without nuclei.
Tapetal cells are multinucleate, meaning they contain multiple nuclei, and this helps them carry out their function of nourishing and supporting pollen grain development. Therefore, the correct answer is C) Multinucleate.