THE NATURE OF PLASMODESMATA IN NORMAL (LIVING) PLANT TISSUE

Techniques have been devised for the demonstration and study of plasmodesmata in an unaltered state in plant tissues. Text figures and data are presented for plasmodesmata in the cambium and certain other tissues of Pinus strobus, parenchyma tissues of Lycopersicum esculentum, and ray and wood parenchyma tissue of Sequoia sempervirens. In all cases, the plasmodesmata were of similar morphology, with a diameter of approximately 0.2μ. Comparative studies are presented showing the effects of various swelling agents which were used in past studies, and of dehydration which is a normal concomitant of most histological procedures. The present paper provides an important base line for the comparison of the appearance of plasmodesmata in living tissue to the findings of recent studies with the electron microscope.