Abstract
Tubular evaginations of the plasmalemma of the scutellar epithelial cells of barley are described. The evaginations are similar to those present at other sites where solute flux occurs for a limited period only and wall development of the transfer-cell form has not occured. Differential uptake of the fluorescent dyes fluorescein, which moves into the symplast, and 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonic acid, which remains in the apoplast only, indicates that the scutellar epithelial cells contain the boundary between the apoplast and symplast. We suggest that i) the plasmalemma evaginations, which have a specific form and localisation, may be referred to as plasmatubules rather than by the general term plasmalemmasome, and that ii) the plasmatubules may act in membrane amplification in a short-term structural modification which is an alternative to transfer cells.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- ANS:
-
8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonic acid
References
Barclay, C.F., Peterson, C.A., Tyree, M.T. (1982) Transport of fluorescein in trichomes of Lycopersicum esculentum. Can. J. Bot. 60, 397–402
Dute, R.R., Evert, R.F. (1978) Sieve-element ontogeny in the aerial shoots of Equisetum hyemale L. Ann. Bot. 42, 23–32
Esau, K. (1978) Developmental features of the primary phloem in Phaseolus vulgaris L. Ann. Bot. 42, 1–13
Evert, R.F., Eschrich, W., Heyser, N. (1978) Leaf structure in relation to solute transport and phloem loading in Zea mays L. Planta 138, 274–294
Evert, R.F., Eschrich, W., Neuburger, D.S., Eichorn, S.E. (1977) Tubular extensions of the plasmalemma in leaf cells of Zea mays L. Planta 135, 203–205
Gates, P.J., Oparka, K.J. (1982) The use of the fluorescent probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonic acid (ANS) as a histochemical stain in plant tissues. Plant Cell Environ. 5, 251–256
Gunning, B.E.S., Pate, J.S. (1974) In: Dynamic aspects of plant ultrastructure, pp. 441–481, Robards, A.W., ed. McGraw-Hill, London
Harris, N. (1981) Plasmalemmasomes in cotyledons of germinating Vigna radiata L. (mung-bean). Plant Cell Environ. 4, 169–175
Higgins, C.F., Payne, J.W. (1977) Characterisation of active dipeptide transport by germinating barley embryos: effects of pH and metabolic inhibitors. Planta 136, 71–76
Higgins, C.F., Payne, J.W. (1978) Peptide transport by germinating barley embryos. Uptake of physiological di- and oligopeptides. Planta 138, 211–215
Marchant, R., Robards, A.W. (1968) Membrane systems associated with the plasmalemma of plant cells. Ann. Bot 32, 457–471
Nieuwdorp, P.J., Buys, M.C. (1964) Electron microscope structure of the epithelial cells of the scultellum of barley. I. Cytology of cells during germination. Acta Bot. Neerl. 13, 559–565
Oparka, K.J., Gates, P.J., Boulter, D. (1981) Regularly aligned mitochondria in aleurone and sub-aleurone layers of developing rice caryopsis. Plant Cell Environ. 4, 355–357
Pate, J.S., Gunning, B.E.S. (1972) Transfer cells. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 23, 767–782
Smart, M.G., O'Brien, T.P. (1979) Observations on the scutellum. I. Overall development during germination of four grasses. Aust. J. Bot. 27, 391–401
Thorsch, J., Esau, K. (1981a) Changes in the endoplasmic reticulum during differentiation of a sieve element in Gossypium hirsutum. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 74, 183–194
Thorsch, J., Esau, K. (1981b) Nuclear degeneration and the association of endoplasmic reticulum with nuclear envelope and microtubules in maturing sieve elements of Gossypium hirsutum. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 74, 195–204
Tran Thanh Van, M., Chlyah, A. (1976) Différentiation de boutons floraux, de bourgeons végétatifs, de racines et de cal à partir de l'assise sous-épidermatiques des ramifications florales de Nicotiana tabacum Wisc. 38. Étude infrastructural. Can. J. Bot. 54, 1979–1996
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harris, N., Oparka, K.J. & Walker-Smith, D.J. Plasmatubules: an alternative to transfer cells?. Planta 156, 461–465 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393318
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393318