Fine structure of epithelial canal cells in petioles of Xanthium pensylvanicum
- Villanova Univ., PA (USA) Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
Secretory canals were examined in petioles of Xanthium pensylvanicum (Cocklebur) grown under long day illumination to maintain vegetative growth. The fine structure of the canal and its epithelium was studied by electron microscopy of thin section cut transverse to the principal axis of petioles from leaves in an early stage of development. The canal proper is delimited by walls of epithelial cells which protrude into a scallop shaped cavity. In comparison to the surrounding parenchyma, the epithelial cells are smaller, cytoplasmically more dense, and less vacuolate. The epithelium contains pleomorphic starch-free plastids with planar thylakoids frequently stacked into grana; thus, the plastids are presumed photosynthetically active. Mitochondria are abundant and often dense. The cytoplasm is rich in free polysomes, and smooth endoplasmic reticulum predominates over the rough form. Spheroidal granules averaging about 530 nm in diameter are numerous in the epithelium and appear at lower concentration in neighboring cells. Many features of fine structure of the epithelial cells suggest that a high metabolic activity in present in this tissue during this early stage of development. A possible function of the canals is defense against insect predation and animal grazing.
- OSTI ID:
- 6834562
- Journal Information:
- American Journal of Botany; (USA), Vol. 74:1; ISSN 0002-9122
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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