Ultrastructure of leaves in C4 Cyperus iria and C3 Carex siderosticta

The ultrastructural aspects ofCyperus iria leaves showing the C₄ syndrome and the typical C₃ species,Carex siderosticta, in the Cyperaceae family were examined.C. iria exhibited the chlorocyperoid type, showing an unusual Kranz structure with vascular bundles completely surrounded by two bundle sheaths. The cellular components of the inner Kranz bundle sheath cells were similar to those found in the NADP-ME C₄ subtype, having centrifugally arranged chloroplasts with greatly reduced grana and numerous starch grains. Their chloroplasts contained convoluted thyla-koids and a weakly-developed peripheral reticulum, although it was extensive mostly in mesophyll cell chloroplasts. The outer mestome bundle sheath layer was sclerenchymatous and generally devoid of organelles, but had unevenly thickened walls. Suberized lamellae were present on its cell walls, and they became polylamellate when traversed by plasmodesmata. Mesophyll cell chloroplasts showed well-stacked grana with small starch grains. InC. siderosticta, vascular bundles were surrounded by the inner mestome sheath and the outer parenchymatous bundle sheath with intercellular spaces. The mestome sheath cells degraded in their early development and remained in a collapsed state, although the suberized lamellae retained polylamellate features. Plastids with a crystalline structure, sometimes membrane-bounded, were found in the epidermal cells. The close interveinal distance was 35–50 μm inC. iria, whereas it was 157–218 μm inC. siderosticta. These ultrastructural characteristics were discussed in relation to their photosynthetic functions.     

CHLOROPLAST SPECIALIZATION IN DICOTYLEDONS POSSESSING THE C4-DICARBOXYLIC ACID PATHWAY OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC CO2 FIXATION

The C₄-dicarboxylic-acid pathway of photosynthetic CO₂ fixation found in tropical grasses has recently been demonstrated in members of the Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae. In the tropical grasses this CO₂-fixation pathway is correlated with specialized leaf anatomy and chloroplast structure. This investigation was undertaken to determine if leaf cells of some representatives of these other families had structural features similar to those of tropical grasses. The leaf anatomy of Amaranthus edulis and a variety of Atriplex species is very similar and it resembles that of grasses such as sugar cane. Prominent bundle sheaths are surrounded by a layer of palisade cells. Bundle-sheath cells of Am. edulis have large chloroplasts containing much starch, but the chloroplasts have grana. The palisade cells have much smaller chloroplasts containing very little starch. The bundle-sheath cell chloroplasts of At. lentiformis have grana, their profiles tend to be ovoid, and they contain abundant starch grains. The palisade cell chloroplasts contain little starch and their profiles are discoid. The bundle-sheath cells of both species contain mitochondria which are much larger than those in the palisade cells. The chloroplasts in both types of cells in both species have a highly developed peripheral reticulum. This reticulum is composed of anastomosing tubules which are contiguous with the inner plastid membrane. The leaf anatomy and cell ultrastructure of these dicots are similar to those of the tropical grasses possessing this new photosynthetic carbon-fixation pathway. These morphological features are interpreted as adaptations for the rapid transport of precursors and end products of photosynthesis. A hypothesis is presented stating that the unique morphological and biochemical characters of these plants represent adaptations for efficient and rapid carbon fixation in environments where water stress frequently limits photosynthesis.     

几种高山植物叶绿体淀粉粒的变化特征

利用透射电镜对生长于青藏高原东北部达坂山（海拔3900m）的5种高山植物叶绿体超微结构进行了观察。结果发现,在所研究的5种高山植物叶绿体中,淀粉粒数量均较多,淀粉粒呈长椭圆形或圆形,沿叶绿体长轴分布。在珠芽蓼的叶绿体中,淀粉粒的电子密度内外不均匀,外周电子密度低,中央电子密度高。在其余4种高山植物中,淀粉粒的电子密度均较低。另外,在这5种高山植物叶绿体中还出现了脂质小球。其类囊体均出现了不同程度的膨大现象。研究表明,高山植物叶绿体中淀粉粒的这种变化是对逆境的一种适应,是青藏高原特殊生态条件长期胁迫的结果。     

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE CONCHOCELIS STAGE OF THE MARINE RED ALGA PORPHYRA LEUCOSTICTA1

The ultrastructure of the Conchocelis or filamentous stage of Porphyra leucosticta was investigated. Each cell contains 1 or 2 parietal, stellate chloroplasts with a single pyrenoid in each chloroplast. The centrally located nucleus is irregularly shaped and contains 1–2 nucleoli. The cytoplasm has typical floridean starch grains and nonmernbrane-bound lipid bodies. The cell wall is divided into an outer and an inner wall. Many lomasomes are associated with the cell membrane. Pit connections are found between cells, and their taxonomic significance is discussed.     

Characteristics of plastids responsible for starch synthesis in developing pea embryos

The nature of the starch-synthesising plastids in developing pea (Pisum sativum L.) embryos has been investigated. Chlorophyll and starch were distributed throughout the cotyledon during development. Chlorophyll content increased initially, then showed little change up to the point of drying out of the embryo. Starch content per embryo increased dramatically throughout development. The chlorophyll content per unit volume was highest on the outer edge of the cotyledon, while the starch content was highest on inner face. Nycodenz gradients, which fractionated mechanically-prepared plastids according to their starch content, failed to achieve any significant separation of plastids rich in starch and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase from those rich in chlorophyll and a Calvin-cycle marker enzyme, NADP-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. However, material that was not sufficiently dense to enter the gradients was enriched in activity of the Calvin-cycle marker enzyme relative to that of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Nomarski and epi-fluorescence microscopy showed that intact, isolated plastids, including those with very large starch grains, invariably contained chlorophyll in stromal structures peripheral to the starch grain. We suggest that the starch-storing plastids of developing pea embryos are derived directly from chloroplasts, and retain chloroplast-like characteristics throughout their development. Developing pea embryos also contain chloroplasts which store little or no starch. These are probably located primarily on the outer edge of the cotyledons where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis at some stages of development.     

Chloroplast ultrastructure changes in Pisum sativum associated with supplementary ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation

Pea plants (Pisum sativum L. cv. Greenfeast) were grown and exposed to supplementary UV-B radiation from day 17 after planting under growth cabinet conditions. The effects of this exposure on the ultrastructure of chloroplasts and the total soluble sugar and starch concentrations were estimated. Supplementary UV-B radiation was shown to damage the structure of chloroplasts, as manifested by dilation of thylakoid membranes, a progressive disruption of the thylakoid structure and disintegration of the double membrane envelope surrounding the chloroplast, accompanied by the accumulation of large starch grains. Diurnal changes observed in starch concentration suggest that the higher concentration of starch in supplementary UV-B-treated leaves is due to its immobilization, rather than to any increase in starch synthesis: soluble sugars accumulated and remained at a higher level and then later declined.     

Ultrastructural aspects of leaves inFestuca ovina andPoa sphondylodes (C-3 Poaceae)

Structural aspects of the leaves of two common festucoids,Festuca ovina andPoa sphondylodes, have been examined employing the electron microscopy. The nature of vascular bundles and of sheaths that surround vascular tissues was discussed in the study. The festucoids exhibited a non-Kranz C-3 anatomy with more than four mesophyll cells separating the bundle sheaths of a leaf blade. Vascular tissues in theseFestuca andPoa leaves were surrounded by a double sheath: an inner distinct mestome sheath (MST) and an outer indistinctive layer of parenchymatous bundle sheath (PBS) cells. The PBS cells were much larger than the MST and had thin walls. The MST cells were relatively small and rectangular inP. sphondylodes and more or less hexangular in transverse sections ofF. ovina. InP. sphondylodes, MST had conspicuously thickened inner tangential walls with asymmetrically uninterrupted suberized lamellae in radial and tangential walls. In most differentiated MST cells, all walls were highly suberized. During suberin deposition, MST cells were quite vacuolated and most of the cytoplasm was present as a thin peripheral layer. However, MST walls inF. ovina revealed very thin suberized lamellae with translucent striations. No chloroplasts were detected inP. sphondylodes, whereas the MST inF. ovina contained small chloroplasts. Plasmodesmata were well developed in the primary pit fields of walls between MST and vascular cells, and between adjacent MST cells. Plasmodesmata were less frequent in the walls between the inner and outer sheath cells. Suberized lamellae were totally absent from the PBS cell walls in all veins. External to the PBS, the mesophyll comprised thin walled cells with abundant intercellular spaces. Peripherally arranged chloroplasts in the mesophyll were numerous and often larger than those of PBS and MST cells. Characteristics associated with C-3 and other ultrastructural features were also discussed in the study.     

Effects of light, magnesium and sucrose on leaf anatomy, photosynthesis, starch and total sugar accumulation, in kiwifruit culturedin vitro

Shootlets of kiwifruit plants (Actinidia deliciosa) were culturedin vitro. Combinations of light intensity, Mg and sucrose in the cultures showed that an increase of light intensity resulted in a corresponding increase of the relative size of the leaf mesophyll cells and in a decrease of the numbers of chloroplasts and contained starch grains. The addition of sucrose to the substrate media negatively affected the size of the mesophyll cells under normal Mg concentration (35 mg l⁻¹), and positively under high Mg concentration (105 mg l⁻¹ ). Sucrose further resulted in an increase in the numbers of chloroplasts and contained starch grains. The photosynthetic capacity of leaves greatly increased when Mg concentration was enhanced and sucrose was excluded from the nutrient substrate. Total sugar accumulation in all treatments was favoured by normal light intensity and addition of sucrose.     

Chloroplast Development in Rye Coleoptiles

In the parenchyma cells of 1-d-old dark-grown rye coleoptiles (Secale cereale) proplastids occurred which sometimes contained starch grains. During coleoptile growth in darkness starch-filled amyloplasts are formed from the preexisting proplastids. No prolamellar bodies were observed in the stroma of the plastids of the etiolated coleoptile. After irradiation of 3-d-old etiolated coleoptiles with continuous white light three different types of plastids occurred. In the epidermal cells proplastids were observed. The parenchyma cells below the stomata of the outer epidermis (above the two vascular bundles) contained mature, spindle-shaped chloroplasts with a well-developed thylakoid system. In the parenchyma cells that surround the vascular bundles amyloplasts with some thylakoid membranes (chloroamyloplasts) occurred. The mesophyll cells of the primary leaves of dark-grown seedlings contained etioplasts with large prolamellar bodies. In the primary leaves of irradiated plants chloroplasts similar to those of the parenchyma cells of the coleoptile were observed. Our results show that the rye coleoptile, which grows underground as a heterotrophic organ, is capable of developing mature chloroplasts upon reaching the light above the soil surface. The significance of this expression of photosynthetic capacity for the carbon economy of the developing seedling is discussed.     

Photosynthesis and starch metabolism of chloroplasts during prolonged illumination

Summary The starch metabolism of the chloroplasts in the leaves of Stellaria media was studied by means of electron microscopy. During the night the starch grains diminished in size but did not disappear entirely. In the light they grew due to photosynthesis. After prolonged illumination of the plant the grains almost filled up the chloroplasts. However, after an illumination of 26–27 hr a sudded disintegration took place. This was apparently caused by the increased activity of -amylase observed in an earlier investigation to occur at this time in the chloroplasts. After the disintegration the starch grains of the chloroplasts showed irregular changes.The rate of photosynthesis and respiration was measured by an infra-red gas analyser. During prolonged illumination Stellaria media showed a rather intensive and constant rate of assimilation. The role of starch disintegration and -amylase synthesis in making possible this constant assimilation has been discussed.     

Ultrastructural changes during normal and colchicine-inhibited cell division ofChlorella

Summary In synchronously growingChlorella strain 211-8 b protoplast division, i.e. cell plate formation ensued about 14 h after beginning of the light period, when cells under favourable growth conditions had already become tetranucleate. Initially, small electron transparent droplets appeared in a plane between the nuclei. They soon fused into a thin cell plate extending towards the cell periphery. The second and third plate began to be formed before the first was completed, and finally a continuous system of cell plates resulted, which obtained a considerable thickness by the 19th hour. Then, within a short time, all 8 or 16 protoplasts were simultaneously covered by a typical cell wall outer zone, and subsequently inner zones were formed of material derived from the cell plate and the inner zone of the wall of the mother cell. The remaining original outer zone broke at about the 22nd hour, thereby releasing the autospores.Addition of colchicine after 13 1/2 h of illumination caused a marked delay of the cell development and prevented cell division by almost completely disturbing the orientation of the developing cell plates. The polyploid and polynucleate protoplasts finally formed several outer zones below the cell wall which subsequently were translocated through the inner zone towards the cell surface where they partly became detached.The thick starch layers of the pyrenoid were degraded between the 10th and 17th hour, but the extra-pyrenoidal starch grains remained untouched. The undivided pyrenoid was transmitted during cell plate formation to one of the daughter cells where it finally degenerated. One small pyrenoid appeared in each daughter cell immediately after the cell walls had been formed. They soon obtained small starch layers, apparently on the expense of the gradually disappearing starch grains.The development of the pyrenoid was not directly affected by the colchicine treatment but 20 h later the undivided cells, obviously due to their polyploid and polynucleate state, contained several pyrenoids which frequently were combined in clusters and surrounded by several starch platelets.A redundant development of the endoplasmic reticulum was found if the cells were exposed to colchicine during the time of nuclear divisions. The number of Golgi bodies was increased per cell and per nucleus in the undivided, colchicine treated cells.     

Dimorphic chloroplasts in the epidermis of Podostemoideae,a subfamily of the unique aquatic angiosperm family Podostemaceae

Plants of the Podostemoideae, a subfamily of the unique aquatic angiosperm family Podostemaceae, which are found in rapids and waterfalls of the tropics and subtropics, have two different sizes of chloroplasts in their epidermis. These small and large chloroplasts are located separately in each epidermal cell along its upper and inner tangential walls, respectively. This is the first case of the chloroplast dimorphism in a single epidermal cell of angiosperms. While the large chloroplasts have well developed starch grains, the small chloroplasts have a normal granal ultrastructure but very few starch grains. This suggests that the small chloroplasts mainly function in CO₂ uptake for photosynthesis from torrential water.     

NaCl胁迫对宁夏枸杞叶和幼根显微及超微结构的影响

以宁夏枸杞为材料,采用超薄切片技术制备样品,应用光学显微镜和透射电镜分析了不同浓度NaCl胁迫条件下宁夏枸杞叶和幼根显微及超微结构的变化。结果表明：随着NaCl胁迫的加重,(1)叶片上表皮细胞增厚,栅栏组织细胞出现缩短现象,排列疏松且紊乱;幼根的初生结构无明显变化。(2)叶片栅栏组织中叶绿体不再紧靠在细胞膜上,叶绿体双层膜破坏,基粒片层松散排列,杂乱无章,出现膨胀和空泡现象,淀粉粒和嗜锇颗粒增多,叶肉细胞中线粒体发生轻微变化;幼根中皮层薄壁细胞线粒体形状发生改变,结构破坏,内膜和外膜模糊甚至破裂,大多数嵴模糊,出现空泡现象;细胞核解体,基质外溢。研究表明, 不同浓度的NaCl胁迫对宁夏枸杞叶片和幼根细胞的显微及超微结构影响不同,NaCl浓度大于200 mmol/L时,宁夏枸杞叶片和幼根细胞的显微及超微结构发生了明显变化,且叶肉细胞中线粒体的变化没有叶绿体的变化显著,推测叶肉细胞中线粒体的耐盐性比叶绿体强。     

红盖鳞毛蕨孢子囊早期发育与质体分化的研究

利用光学显微镜和透射电子显微镜观察了红盖鳞毛蕨(Dryopteris erythrosora(Eaton)O.Ktze.)孢子囊的发育及在此期间质体的分化过程。研究表明:(1)红盖鳞毛蕨孢子囊的发育类型属于薄囊蕨型;(2)绒毡层为混合型,即内层绒毡层为原生质团型,外层绒毡层为腺质型;(3)孢子囊原始细胞中的质体通过3条路径分化,其一,原始细胞中含淀粉粒的质体通过分裂分配到下方细胞,继而进入孢子囊柄;其二,原始细胞分裂产生的新生质体被分配到上方细胞,进而被分配到除顶细胞外的原基细胞中,顶细胞将含淀粉粒的质体通过分裂分配到外套层原始细胞中;其三,顶细胞也将具淀粉粒的质体通过分裂分配到内部细胞,使分裂产生的孢原细胞和绒毡层原始细胞具新生质体;造孢细胞和孢子母细胞的质体具淀粉粒,孢子母细胞还具油体,新生孢子中具造粉体和油体;两层绒毡层具新生质体,随着退化外层绒毡层出现造粉体,内层绒毡层出现油体;(4)红盖鳞毛蕨与少数被子植物小孢子发育阶段质体分化模式类似,由前质体分化为造粉体再到油体。研究结果为蕨类植物质体在孢子囊发育过程不同组织细胞中的差异分化提供了新观察资料,为蕨类植物发育生物学和系统演化研究提供科学依据。     

Relationships between Motor Cell Ultrastructure and Leaf Movements in Samanea saman

We examined the fine structure of motor cells in the secondary pulvinus of Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merrill, to aid in analyzing the cellular basis for K⁺ and Cl^? driven, turgor regulated circadian leaflet movements. Pulvini that were (a) open (horizontal) in the light, (b) closed (vertical) in the dark, or (c) at an intermediate angle after 96-h incubation in H₂O in darkness, were cut into cross sections, sub-divided into quadrants, and prepared for electron microscopy by standard methods. The walls of many cells are ridged, appearing scalloped in cross section, the plasmalemma following the wall contours. Plasmodesmata localized in pit fields are most numerous in the inner cortex of the extensor (abaxial), and least numerous in the outer cortex of the flexor (adaxial) (3.9 and 0.7, respectively, per μm² wall area). Vacuole size, number of vacuoles per cell, and the condition of the electron dense precipitate within the vacuole also vary with cell location, multivacuolation being most pronounced in the outer cortex of the extensor. Chloroplasts are dimorphic: those in cells close to the vascular tissue are very large, circular in cross section, and contain huge starch deposits at all times, while those in the remainder of the cortex are smaller, usually oblong, and contain large starch deposits at the beginning of the dark period, but are devoid of starch at the beginning of the light period. However, both types of chloroplasts in excised pulvini incubated in H²O in darkness for 96 h still contain starch deposits, indicating that (1) light may promote starch degradation, or (2) starch degradation and resynthesis may be rhythmic.     

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF TETRASPOROGENESIS IN THE PARASITIC RED ALGA LEVRINGIELLA GARDNERI (SETCHELL) KYLIN12

Ultrastructural studies on tetraspore formation in Levringiella gardneri revealed that 3 stages may be recognized during their formation. The youngest stage consists of a uninucleate tetraspore mother cell with synaptonemal complexes present during early prophase of meiosis I. Mitochondria are aggregated around the nucleus, dictyosome activity is low, and chloroplasts occur in the peripheral cytoplasm. A 4-nucleate tetraspore mother cell is formed prior to tetrahedral cell cleavage, and an increase in the number of chloroplasts and mitochondria occurs. Small straight-profiled dictyosomes secrete vesicles into larger fibrous vesicles or contribute material to the developing tetraspore wall. During the second stage of tetraspore formation, striated vesicles form within endoplasmic reticulum, semicircular profiled dictyosomes secrete vesicles for fibrous vesicles or wall material, and starch formation increases. The final stage is characterized by the disappearance of striated vesicles, presence of straight, large dictyosomes which secrete cored vesicles, and an abundance of starch grains. Cleavage is usually complete at this stage and the tetraspore wall consists of a narrow outer layer of fibrillar material and an inner, electron transparent layer. These spores are surrounded by a tetrasporangial wall which was the original wall surrounding the tetraspore mother cell.     

Blue-light-induced reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and the avoidance response of chloroplasts in epidermal cells of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Vallisneria gigantea</Emphasis>

In leaf epidermal cells of the aquatic angiosperm Vallisneria gigantea Graebner, high-intensity blue light induces the actin-dependent avoidance response of chloroplasts. By semi-quantitative motion analysis and phalloidin staining, time courses of the blue-light-induced changes in the mode of movement of individual chloroplasts and in the configuration of actin filaments were examined in the presence and absence of a flavoprotein inhibitor, diphenylene iodonium. In dark-adapted cells, short, thick actin bundles seemed to surround each chloroplast, which was kept motionless in the outer periclinal cytoplasm of the cells. After 10 min of irradiation with high-intensity blue light, a rapid, unidirectional movement of chloroplasts was induced, concomitant with the appearance of aggregated, straight actin bundles stretched over the outer periclinal cytoplasm. Diphenylene iodonium inhibited the avoidance response of chloroplasts, apparently by delaying a change in the mode of chloroplast movement from random sway to unidirectional migration, by suppressing the appearance of aggregated, straight actin bundles. In partially irradiated individual cells, redistribution of chloroplasts and reorganization of actin filaments occurred only in the areas exposed to blue light. From the results, we propose that the short, thick actin bundles in the vicinity of chloroplasts function to anchor the chloroplasts in dark-adapted cells, and that the aggregated, straight actin bundles organized under blue-light irradiation provide tracks for unidirectional movement of chloroplasts.Preliminary results of part of the local irradiation study have already been reported in abstract form [N. Sakurai et al. (2002) J Photosci 9:326–328].     

Changes in the plastid ultrastructure duringSedum rotundifolium leaf development

The ultrastructure of plastids was investigated in succulent leaves ofSedum rotundifolium to examine their changes during development. Leaves were categorized as etiolated, immature, young, and mature, based on their developmental stage and size. Of particular interest were the features of the tubular inclusion bodies (TIBs) and starch grains. These, along with vacuole size, showed remarkable changes over time. Etioplasts of unexposed leaves had prolamellar bodies, abundant starch grains, large TIB, few plastoglobuli, and thylakoid systems. Membranes of the thylakoids were still continuous with those of the prolamellar body. The plastids were often influenced by the presence and profile of inclusion bodies and starch grains throughout the early stages. Morphology was highly variable in the etioplasts but consistently hemispherical or ovoid in mature chloroplasts. TIB was most abundant in the etiolated leaves, but disappeared completely with development. Starch grains also became significantly reduced in size. Both young and mature mesophyll cells exhibited a normal chloroplast ultra-structure and huge central vacuoles, with an extremely thin peripheral cytoplasm. Grana were extensive and comprised a large portion of the chloroplasts. Traces of peripheral reticulum were also discovered in the chloroplasts of expanded leaves. The implications of these ultrastructural changes in the tubular inclusions and starch grains are discussed with relevance to Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM).     

THE ULTRASTRUCTURAL MORPHOLOGY AND ONTOGENY OF OAT COLEOPTILE PLASTIDS

Structurally similar proplastids occur in the shoot, scutellum, and root of the oat embryo at the start of germination. These proplastids follow several pathways of differentiation, depending on their location within an organ and on previous exposure to light. During the first 24 hr of germination morphologically similar amyloplasts are formed from the preexisting proplastids in most of the cells of the seedling. After about 24 hr in the light, unique chloroplasts begin to develop in a subepidermal ring of small cortical parenchyma cells in the coleoptile and give the organ a pale green color. At 48 and 72 hr the coleoptile chloroplasts and etioplasts are conspicuously different from the corresponding leaf plastids in morphology and ontogeny but contain typical photosynthetic grana and prolamellar bodies. Study of the ontogeny of plastids in the epidermal and nongreening parenchymal regions of dark grown coleoptiles shows that these plastids undergo significant losses in starch content, and some increase of membranes within the plastid, related to the age of the cell. Light has little effect on the structure of these plastids. It is suggested that the ontogeny of all the plastid types of the oat seedling begins with a common precursor—a relatively simple proplastid that is present at the time of germination. Starch grains showing two distinct types of erosion, apparently enzymatic, were observed in oat coleoptile plastids. In one type (grooved appearance) the starch grains are consistently associated with plastid membranes, while in the other type (irregular, spiny appearance) the starch grains are associated with the plastid stroma only. We suggest that there are two enzyme systems for metabolizing starch in oat plastids—one membrane-bound and the other free in the stroma.     

PLASTIDS IN LATICIFERS OF PAPAVER. I. DEVELOPMENT AND CYTOCHEMISTRY OF LATICIFER PLASTIDS IN P. SOMNIFERUM L. (PAPAVERACEAE)

Plastids were observed in all stages of laticifer differentiation in Papaver somniferum L. Plastids in laticifer initials were present as proplastids that later developed electron-dense inclusions, but never possessed the thylakoids or starch grains that characterize chloroplasts in other cells. Electron-dense inclusions in laticifer plastids were membrane-bound and appeared to arise from the accumulation of material within an invagination of the inner plastid membrane. Cytochemical studies of these plastid inclusions indicated that their matrix was not composed of crystalline protein, α-amylose, amylopectin or polysaccharide. The results suggest that the electron-dense, membrane-bound inclusions in laticifer plastids may be composed of lipoprotein.