Elemental Analysis of Phloem Tissue in Lemna Minor Root Tips

Author(s):  
Patrick Echlin ◽  
Thomas Hayes ◽  
Clifford Lai ◽  
Greg Hook

Studies (1—4) have shown that it is possible to distinguish different stages of phloem tissue differentiation in the developing roots of Lemna minor by examination in the transmission, scanning, and optical microscopes. A disorganized meristem, immediately behind the root-cap, gives rise to the vascular tissue, which consists of single central xylem element surrounded by a ring of phloem parenchyma cells. This ring of cells is first seen at the 4-5 cell stage, but increases to as many as 11 cells by repeated radial anticlinal divisions. At some point, usually at or shortly after the 8 cell stage, two phloem parenchyma cells located opposite each other on the ring of cells, undergo an unsynchronized, periclinal division to give rise to the sieve element and companion cell. Because of the limited number of cells involved, this developmental sequence offers a relatively simple system in which some of the factors underlying cell division and differentiation may be investigated, including the distribution of diffusible low atomic weight elements within individual cells of the phloem tissue.

1970 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
JG Swift ◽  
TP O'Brien

The pattern of vascularization of the wheat scutellum shortly after germination is reconstructed from serial sections of plastic-embedded specimens. Nearly half of the phloem in the scutellum is unaccompanied by xylem. Most of the phloem tissue consists of distinct strands, composed of a central sieve tube encircled by a single ring of phloem parenchyma cells. The possible functions of this unusual vascular system are discussed in detail.


1965 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 185
Author(s):  
MC Wark

The companion cells of the secondary phloem of Pisum contain all the organelles characteristic of cells possessing an active metabolism. The cytoplasm of the companion cells shows little change during ontogeny. Complex plasmodesmata connect the sieve elements and companion cells. These are the only connections observed between the sieve elements and other phloem cells. New wall structures of the companion cells are described. These structures are here tentatively called trabeculae; they intrude into the cytoplasm, but never completely cross the cell. The trabeculae alter in appearance at the time when the sieve element nucleus and tonoplast disappear. The phloem parenchyma cells are large vacuolated cells wider in diameter but shorter in length than the sieve elements. They contain all the organelles found in normal photosynthetic tissue. The cytoplasm of the phloem parenchyma shows little change during ontogeny. Plasmodesmata of well-developed pit fields connect the phloem parenchyma with the companion cells. The phloem parenchyma does not communicate with the sieve elements.


Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuichi Tada

The Arabidopsis high-affinity K+ transporter (AtHKT1;1) plays roles in salt tolerance by unloading Na+ from the root xylem to the xylem parenchyma cells and/or uploading Na+ from the shoot/leaf xylem to the xylem parenchyma cells. To use this promoter for the molecular breeding of salt-tolerant plants, I evaluated the expression profile of the AtHKT1;1 promoter in detail. Approximately 1.1 kbp of sequence upstream from the start codon of AtHKT1;1 was polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified, fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene, and introduced into Arabidopsis. The resultant transformants were evaluated under nonstressed and salt-stress conditions at the seedling and reproductive stages. Histochemical analysis showed that GUS activity was detected in vascular bundle tissue in roots, hypocotyls, petioles, leaves, and petals, and in root tips. GUS enzyme activity in shoots tended to be higher than that in roots at both stages. After treatment with 50 mM NaCl for 24 h, GUS transcription levels and GUS enzyme activity were enhanced in transgenic lines. These results indicate that the AtHKT1;1 promoter isolated in this study could be useful in expressing transgenes specifically in vascular tissue and root tips, and in a mild salt-stress-responsive manner. The data provide novel insights into the functions of AtHKT1;1.


IAWA Journal ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.N.B. Nair

The stern of Spatholobus roxburghii, a tropicalliana, has alternating layers of xylem and phloem as a result of formation and activity of successive cambia. Successive cambial rings are developed by dedifferentiation of groups of parenchyma cells outside the discontinuous band of sclereid-fibres. The sclereid- fibre band is formed by the development of sclereids between the primary bark fibres. Each successive cambium first produces a layer of sclereid-fibres which separates the vascular tissue produced by one cambial ring from the other. After secondary growth, the epidermis is replaced by periderm. In the older stern phelloderm contributes to the formation of new cambiallayers. Secondary phloem has sieve tube members; companion cells, phloem parenchyma, phloem fibres and secretory cells. The wood shows a tendency towards ring-porosity only in the first xylem layer. The subsequent layers are diffuseporous. The vessels are wide and narrow. Perforated ray cells or radial vessels are frequent in the wood and probably help in vertical conduction by interconnecting vessel endings. In this scandent species parenchyma cells are abundant. It is inferred that they help the vessel segments to remain undamaged when the woody stern twists around supports.


Author(s):  
S. Edith Taylor ◽  
Patrick Echlin ◽  
May McKoon ◽  
Thomas L. Hayes

Low temperature x-ray microanalysis (LTXM) of solid biological materials has been documented for Lemna minor L. root tips. This discussion will be limited to a demonstration of LTXM for measuring relative elemental distributions of P,S,Cl and K species within whole cells of tobacco leaves.Mature Wisconsin-38 tobacco was grown in the greenhouse at the University of California, Berkeley and picked daily from the mid-stalk position (leaf #9). The tissue was excised from the right of the mid rib and rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen slush. It was then placed into an Amray biochamber and maintained at 103K. Fracture faces of the tissue were prepared and carbon-coated in the biochamber. The prepared sample was transferred from the biochamber to the Amray 1000A SEM equipped with a cold stage to maintain low temperatures at 103K. Analyses were performed using a tungsten source with accelerating voltages of 17.5 to 20 KV and beam currents from 1-2nA.


1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (21) ◽  
pp. 2269-2273 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. B. Hanten ◽  
G. E. Ahlgren ◽  
J. B. Carlson

The anatomical development of the abscission zone in grains of Zizania aquatica L. was correlated with development of the embryo. The abscission zone is well developed when the embryo sac is mature. Soon after pollination, the first anatomical evidence of abscission appears as plasmolysis of the separation layer parenchyma cells. This is followed by separation of the layers by dissolution of the middle lamella and fragmentation of cell walls. Persistence of intact vascular tissue and presence of a surrounding cone-shaped mass of lignified cells may be involved in abscission of wild rice grains.


1965 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. B. P. Wooding ◽  
D. H. Northcote

At maturity the companion cell of the phloem of the sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus has a large nucleus, simple plastids closely sheathed with rough endoplasmic reticulum, and numerous mitochondria. The cytoplasm contains numerous ribosomes, resulting in a very electron-opaque cytoplasm after permanganate fixation. Bodies similar to the spherosomes of Frey-Wyssling et al. (4) are collected in clusters and these also contain bodies of an unidentified nature similar to those found by Buttrose (1) in the aleurone cells of the wheat grain. The pores through the wall between the companion cell and sieve tube are complex and develop from a single plasmodesma. Eight to fifteen plasmodesmata on the companion cell side communicate individually with a cavity in the centre of the wall which is linked to the sieve tube by a single pore about twice the diameter of an individual plasmodesma. This pore is lined with material of an electron opacity equivalent to that of material bounding the sieve plate pores. The development of the cell organelles, the possible role played in the phloem tissue by the companion cell, and the function of the complex pores contained in its wall are discussed.


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