auxospore

biology

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June 18, 2026

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An auxospore is a reproductive cell found in diatoms. It typically forms after two smaller cells, or their contents, unite. This process is associated with rejuvenation, especially in diatoms that have progressively shrunk due to repeated cell divisions.1

Diatoms are a type of algae, and their life cycles are unique. While most diatoms are diploid, they reproduce sexually when cells reach a critically small size. After meiosis, haploid gametes fuse into a zygote, which then develops into an auxospore. This auxospore divides to form two larger vegetative cells, thereby restoring the original size.2

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algae
Reproduction and life histories
…kind of cell called an auxospore. The auxospore divides, forming two large, vegetative cells, and in this manner the larger size is renewed. In centric diatoms there is marked differentiation between nonmotile female gametes, which act as egg cells, and motile (typically uniflagellate) male gametes.
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…kind of cell called an auxospore. The auxospore divides, forming two large, vegetative cells, and in this manner the larger size is renewed. In centric diatoms there is marked differentiation between nonmotile female gametes, which act as egg cells, and motile (typically uniflagellate) male gametes.
Read More