Ultrastructure of trichoblasts in the red alga Osmundea spectabilis var. spectabilis (Rhodomelaceae,Ceramiales)

The apex of the tetrasporangial branches of Osmundea spectabilis var. spectabilis (= Laurencia spectabilis var. spectabilis) exhibits cavities in which tufts of multicellular trichoblasts occur. Trichoblast development in Osmundea spectabilis var. spectabilis begins with the differentiation of an epidermal cell within the crypt. This cell differentiates into a trichoblast mother cell (TMC). The TMC divides to form a two-celled incipient trichoblast. Successive periclinal divisions of the apical cell of the young trichoblast result in the formation of a multicellular developing trichoblast. With the exception of the apical cell all trichoblast cells are at the same developmental stage. They possess a large nucleus, abundant plastids with peripheral and some internal thylakoids and dictyosomes. Daughter chloroplasts result from one constriction or multiple fission of a single chloroplast. Dictyosomal cisternae and mucilage sacs contribute material to wall formation. Each differentiating trichoblast cell is surrounded by a bi-layered wall. The outer wall layer represents the trichoblast mother cell wall and the inner wall layer is the trichoblast cell wall. Mature trichoblast cells have thin walls, probably as a consequence of mucilage extrusion, the most likely function of trichoblasts in Osmundea.