Comparative Structure of Companion Cells and Phloem Parenchyma Cells in Mimosa pudica L.

1973 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 625-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATHERINE ESAU
1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 2295-2304 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Oross ◽  
William J. Lucas

The vascular anatomy and phloem ultrastructure of the sugar beet petiole were studied in an attempt to evaluate the potential of petiolar phloem anastomoses to accommodate lateral movement of translocates across this structure. Clearings revealed that six of the eight interveinal regions between the nine major, axially oriented veins were connected by many anastomoses. The two interveinal areas characterized by the fewest anastomoses were located near the margin of the petiole. It was concluded that lateral translocation via anastomoses would be most efficient in the central part of the petiole. A light microscope study of the structure of the junction between anastomosing and continuous veins revealed that the sieve elements of each of the merging veins were separated from each other, for distances of up to 6 mm beyond the point of initial contact, by phloem parenchyma cells. The presence of phloem parenchyma cells in this position, and between the clusters of sieve elements that occur across the phloem of the large bundles, was taken as an indication that the parenchyma cells may have an important role in lateral translocation. An ultrastructural study of the petiolar phloem revealed that the phloem parenchyma and companion cells could be easily distinguished on the basis of the structure of the chloroplasts, dictyosomes, and endoplasmic reticulum. Microfilament bundles and spine-coated tubules and (or) vesicles were uniquely present in the parenchyma cells. The ultrastructure of the phloem parenchyma cells is discussed relative to their possible role in mediating the movement of sugars through the anastomoses.


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.


IAWA Journal ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. N. B. Nair ◽  
H. Y. Mohan Ram

The wood of Dalbergia paniculata is unique as it consists of concentric layers of broad xylem, alternating with bands of narrow phloem. This anomaly results from the periodic formation of successive cambia in the secondary phloem. Some phloem parenchyma cells dedifferentiate to form a discontinuous ring of cambium. Such parenchyma cells have higher succinate dehydrogenase activity than the neighbouring cells of secondary phloem. The newly differentiated cambial layer functions bidirectionally, and its products give rise to xylem internally and phloem externally. The phloem along with cambium present internal to the newly formed xylem becomes included.The wood is diffuse-porous and the intervessel pits are vestured. The phloem has welldifferentiated sieve tube members and companion cells.


IAWA Journal ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Esau ◽  
Vernon I. Cheadle

The secondary phloem of nine species in five genera of Winteraceae was examined with regard to features that could serve for taxonomic and phylogenetic evaluation of the family. The species examined were as follows: Bubbia pauciflora, B. semecarpoides, Drimys lanceolata, D. winteri, Exospermum stipitatum, Pseudo wintera axillaris, Zygogynum baillonii, Z. bicolor, and Z. vinkii. The nine species showed the following common characteristics: 1) origin from nonstoried vascular cambium with long fusiform initials; 2) ray system consisting of high multiseriate and high uniseriate rays; 3) occurrence of secondary partitioning in the differentiating phloem so that the sieve elements are much shorter than the tracheids; 4) lack of sharp differentiation between lateral sieve areas and those of the sieve plates; 5) predominance of compound sieve plates; 6) short companion cells, often single in a given sieve element; 7) phloem parenchyma cells in strands; 8) lack of specialised fibres (bast fibres) in the secondary phloem; 9) presence of nondispersing protein body in the sieve element protoplast. Features numbered 1, 2, 4-6 are considered to be indications of low evolutionary level. The significance of the other three features (3, 7-9) requires further evaluation. Among these three is the secondary partitioning the occurrence of which seems to imply that in some taxa the well known sequence of evolutionary shortening of cambial initials and their derivatives may be accelerated on the phloem side.


1968 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 877-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Esau ◽  
James Cronshaw

Contrary to some statements in the literature, the sieve elements of Cucurbita maxima Duchesne contain plastids. In young cells these organelles resemble mitochondria with regard to size and density of the matrix; but they have fewer internal membranes. During cell maturation, the plastids enlarge and their contents become thin and electron-transparent. They assume a partly degenerated appearance and do not deposit starch. The plastids of the companion cells resemble those of the young sieve elements but develop a considerable number of internal membranes, which may be organized into typical chloroplast grana. Starch is rarely encountered in these plastids. The plastids of the phloem-parenchyma cells are chloroplasts, commonly including starch grains. The mitochondria are similar in the three categories of cell but those of the sieve elements may show a denser matrix in young cells and structural abnormalities in mature cells.


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):  
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 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit M. Srivastava

The origin of sieve elements and parenchyma cells in the secondary phloem of Austrobaileya was studied by use of serial cross sections stained with tannic acid – ferric chloride and lacmoid. In three important respects, Austrobaileya phloem recalls gymnospermous features: it has sieve cells rather than sieve-tube members; a significant proportion of sieve elements and companion cells arise independently of each other; and sieve areas occur between sieve elements and companion cells ontogenetically unrelated to each other. The angiospermous feature includes origin of most sieve elements and parenchyma, including companion cells, after divisions in phloic initials. In these instances companion cells show a closer ontogenetic relationship to sieve elements than do other parenchyma cells. The combination of gymnospermous and angiospermous features makes phloem of Austrobaileya unique when compared to that of all those species that have been investigated in detail. It is further suggested that the term albuminous cells is inappropriate and should be replaced by companion cells but that the ontogenetic relationship implicit in the definition of companion cells is too restrictive and should be abandoned.


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