Asymmetric cell division at pollen mitosis I(PMI)is required to specify the differentiaI fate of the daughter vegetative and generative cells.Cytokinesis at PMI displays specialized features,and it has been suggested that there might be distinct molecular pathways underpinning different modes of cytokinesis in plants.Activation of the NACKPQR MAP kinase signaling pathway,which is essentiaI for somatic cell cytokinesis in tobacco,depends upon the NACK1and NACK2 kinesin-related proteins.Their Arabidopsis orthologs.HINKEL(HIK)and TETRAsPORE(TES).were reported to be essential for cytokinesis in somatic cells and in microsporoctes.respectively.More recently,HIK and TES were shown to have a functionally redundant role in female gametophytic cvtokinesis.We report here that HIK and TES are co-expressed in microspores and developing pollen,and,through analysis of microspore and pollen development in double heterozygote mutants.the occurrence of cell plate expansion defects during cytokinesis at PMI.The data demonstrate a functionally redundant role for HIK and TES in cell plate expansion during male gametophytic cytokinesis.extending the concept that different modes of cytokinesis are executed by a common signaling pathway,but reinforcing the individuality of gametophytic cytokinesis in its requirement for either TES or HIK.