Maize (Zea mays L.) is a monoecious plant, which separates male (tassel) and female (ear) floret that evolved into increasing heterogeneity. In each floret, male or female, bears both one pistil and three stamens primodia before diverged to unisexual state. When diverged to tassel, pistil cell death occurs in the pistil primodium, which is mediated by TASSELSEED genes. In contrast, cell protection occurs in the ear pistil from TASSELSEED-mediated cell death, which is mediated by SILKLESS1 gene. On the other hand, cell cycle arrest occurred for a long time in the ear stamens and then the stamens eventually dye. The cell cycle regulating genes such as CYCLIN B and WEE1 are involved in this process. Furthermore, the temporal and spatial regulation of gibberellin biosynthesis may cause cell cycle block in arresting stamen cells. This review describes the cell death, cell protection, and cell cycle arrest mechanism during maize sex determination process at the molecular, cellular and developmental biology, and genetic levels.