THE ROOT APEX OF MALVA SYLVESTRIS. III. LATERAL ROOT DEVELOPMENT AND THE QUIESCENT CENTER

Both histological and autoradiographic procedures were used to follow lateral root initiation and development. Lateral roots of M. sylvestris were initiated in the pericycle, and although the endodermis became multiseriate, endodermal derivatives were not incorporated into the lateral root primordium. Apical organization of pre-emergent roots, characterized by two tiers of cortical initials, did not change with growth. During pre-emergent development there was no evidence of cortical lysogeny or quiescent center formation. Quiescent centers were present in both secondary and tertiary roots longer than 0.5 cm.     

THE ROOT APEX OF LINUM

Several developmental stages of primary roots of 13 species of Linum were studied. The basic pattern of root apex organization in three species consisted of a single tier of cortical initials. Ten species had a basic pattern of two tiers of cortical initials. Variations, manifested by either an increase or a decrease in the tiers of cortical initials, were observed in some roots in those species that had a basic pattern of two tiers of cortical initials. Although these variations were interpreted as being ontogenetic, there was no total reorganization of the root apex. There was anatomical and cytological evidence that a quiescent center is established in Linum roots.     

THE INDUCTION OF FLOWERING IN NICOTIANA. I. MORPHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE APEX

The morphological changes which the stem apex undergoes in the course of photoperiodic induction are described and presented photographically in order to provide a basis for subsequent physiological investigations. In both a short-day Nicotiana (N. tabacum cultivar ‘Maryland Mammoth') and a long-day one (N. sylvestris), the vegetative meristem is narrow and flat. It becomes wider and dome-shaped when flower induction has become irreversible. The speed at which the various morphological steps succeed each other varies with the intensity of light during the day, especially in the case of N. sylvestris.     

ORGANIZATION OF THE ADVENTITIOUS ROOT APEX IN TAMARIX APHYLLA

Adventitious roots on branches of Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst. develop in hyperhydric outgrowths of the lenticels. The following stages could be distinguished in the formation of the apices of these roots: (1) initiation, (2) a stage of random divisions, (3) a stage of transverse divisions, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the primordium, (4) formation of the procolumella, (5) differentiation of the procambium, the cortical meristem and the protoderm, (6) enlargement of the promeristem, and (7) emergence.     

SOLUTE CONCENTRATIONS IN THE PHLOEM AND APEX OF THE ROOT OF ZEA MAYS

Plasmolytic studies utilizing a graded series of mannitol solutions (0.1–1.4 M in 0.1 M increments) were conducted on adventitious roots of Zea mays to determine solute concentrations of cell types at various locations in the root. Results indicated that mature sieve-tube members had the highest solute concentration as determined by their C₅₀ (the estimated mannitol concentration plasmolyzing an average of 50% of a given cell type) of any cell type in the root. In tissue 12 cm from the tip, C₅₀ values calculated for proto- and metaphloem sieve-tube members were 1.15 and 1.19 M, respectively, while in tissue 0.5 cm from the root tip, values for the same cell types were 0.68 and 0.46 M, respectively. The C₅₀ values for sieve elements in tissue 5 cm from the tip were intermediate (1.08 and 1.11 M). Although the companion cells generally plasmolyzed at nearly the same concentrations of mannitol as the sieve elements, their C₅₀ values were slightly lower than adjacent mature sieve elements. The lowest C₅₀ (0.35 M) for any cell type examined was associated with meristematic cells in tissue 0.1 cm from the root tip. Taken collectively, the results indicate that positive concentration gradients exist between mature sieve tubes and meristematic cells of the root apex of maize.     

MITOTIC ACTIVITY IN THE ROOT APEX OF THE WATER FERN MARSILEA VESTITA HOOK. AND GREV.

Roots of Marsilea vestita ranging from 1–120 mm in length, as well as root primordia, were analyzed to determine mitotic activity and ploidy levels in the apical cell, five well-defined regions of the root proper, and two regions in the root cap. The mitotic index of the apical cell tended to be above the overall mean mitotic index for the entire apical meristem. No diurnal rhythm in mitotic index was apparent. The cell-cycle duration of the apical cell ranged from 12.1–25.2 hr, that of other regions of the root from 16.1–41.5 hr. There was no indication of polyploidy in any part of the apical meristem except in a few procambial cells. Thus, the results support the classical concept that the apical cell is the ultimate source of cells in the root.     

GROWTH STUDIES OF THE ROOT OF INCENSE CEDAR,LIBOCEDRUS DECURRENS. I. THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRIMARY TISSUES

Wilcox , Hugh . (State U. Coll. of Forestry, Syracuse, New York.) Growth studies of the root of incense cedar, Libocedrus decurrens. I. The origin and development of primary tissues. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(3): 221–236. Illus. 1962.—The anatomical features of active and dormant roots of incense-cedar seedlings are described and discussed in relation to various problems of differentiation and morphogenesis. Autoradiographs confirm the presence of a group of relatively inactive cells at the site of the apical initials. During periods of maximum growth activity, the presence of a quiescent center is accentuated by a peak in number of divisions in adjacent tissues. With diminution in growth activity, the peak occurs closer to the quiescent center and the size of the meristem appears to diminish. During dormancy, the configuration of the initial region seems to indicate the existence of apical initial cells which coincide with a minimal constructional center, as determined by studies of cell lineage. Roots whose apical cells retain their meristematic appearance are able to resume growth after a period of dormancy, whereas roots whose apical cells undergo vacuolation are likely to perish. Graphs are presented to show the functional relationships between growth rate and the varying distances from the apical meristem at which the tissues of the root differentiate and mature. Although early differentiation of precursory phloem could be discerned almost as soon as early vacuolation of metaxylem, its recognition was more dependent upon subjective judgment. The functional relationship between differentiation and growth rate was most pronounced in the maturation of protoxylem elements, the development of Casparian strips in the endodermis, the development of suberin lamellae in the endodermis, and by the development of phi layers in the inner cortex.     

外源胆固醇对水稻根端线粒体ATP酶活力的影响

外源胆固醇无论是通过根系吸收或是直接与离体线粒体一起温育的方式,在试验浓度范围内均能提高水稻根端线粒体ATP酶的活力,同时观察到外源胆固醇能明显降低ATP酶表现活化能(Apparent activation energy,AEa)在Arrhenius图上的折点温度。其中通过根系吸收进入线粒体膜内后,其线粒体ATP酶AEa的两个折点温度由对照的27.7℃和15.5℃分别降低到24.5℃和12.7℃;直接与离体线粒体一起温育的两个折点温度分别降低到18.8℃和9.6℃。试验结果证明,适量的外源胆固醇不仅对水稻根端线粒体ATP酶活力具有明显的促进作用,而且对降低线粒体膜脂的相变温度也有明显的调节作用。     

外源胆固醇对水稻根端线粒体膜流动性的影响

应用荧光探剂 1,6-二苯基-1,3,5-己三烯(DPH)观察外源胆固醇对水稻极端线粒体膜流动性的影响。结果表明,无论外源胆固醇通过水培根系吸收或是直接添加给予水稻根端线粒体,都能使DPH与线粒体结合后的荧光强度减弱,使荧光偏振度和微粘度降低,增加水稻根端线粒体膜流动性。     

A RECONSTRUCTION OF CELL DEVELOPMENT IN THE SHOOT APEX OF MAIZE

Somatic mutations were induced in maize embryos in order to follow the albino-tissue patterns in mature plants. A reconstruction of cellular development in the shoot apex has been attempted. Two strains of maize were employed, wd/Yg₂ and pastel-8549/y₁ for seed irradiation with gamma rays. After mature plants had developed from this radiated seed, the sectored plants were analyzed in detail for their patterns of albino tissue. The location and frequency of these patterns were correlated with cell number at various sites of the initial shoot apex in order to deduce the number of cells contributing to each frequency class. Various lines of evidence lead to the conclusion that the cellular differentiation in the shoot apex is organized and a relatively stable process. Apparently a few cells in the apical dome provided daughter tissue for the upper half of the maize plant. Various sector patterns are diagrammed and the position of their albino tissue is explained in relation to the location of a specific cell in the apex.