Maternal to offspring resource allocation in plants and mammals

Abstract Appropriate allocation of resources to the offspring is critical for successful reproduction, particularly in species that reproduce on more than one occasion. The offspring must be provisioned adequately to ensure its vigour, whereas the parent must not become so depleted such that its survival is endangered. In both flowering plants and mammals specialised structures have evolved to support the offspring during its development. In this review we consider common themes that may indicate conservation of nutrient transfer function and regulation by genomic imprinting across the two kingdoms.