The Ultrastructure of the Digestive Glands in Pinguicula vulgaris L. (Lentibulariaceae) Relative to their Function. I. The Changes During Maturation

The digestive glands of Pinguicula vulgaris become fully maturewhilst still enclosed in the bud. All the gland cells remainintact on the fully expanded unstimulated leaves. As the secretoryhead cells mature, a special layer forms between the plasmalemmaand the cell wall. This layer is shown to be different fromthe typical labyrinthine wall of transfer cells and serves forthe storage of digestive enzymes. Ultrastructural analysis,including morphometry, indicates that the digestive enzymesare synthesized on the RER of the head cells and transferredinto the cell wall, particularly into the slime layer, and vacuoles.This transfer is achieved firstly through continuity of theendoplasmic reticulum with vacuoles (static) and the periplasmicspace (dynamic) and, secondly, into the latter through exocytosisof coated Golgi vesicles and of some vacuoles filled with enzymes. Pinguicula vulgaris L., carnivorous plant, digestive glands, ultrastructure, protein synthesis secretion