Abstract
Small and intermediate vascular bundles and contiguous tissues of the leaf blade ofThemeda triandra var.imberbis (Retz.) A. Camus were examined with transmission and scanning electron microscopes to determine the distribution and frequency of plasmodesmata between various cell types. Plasmodesmata are most abundant at the mesophyll/bundle-sheath cell and bundle-sheath/vascular parenchyma cell interfaces, and their numbers decrease with increasing proximity to both thick- and thin-walled sieve tubes. Among cells of the vascular bundles, the greatest frequency of plasmodesmata occurs between vascular parenchyma cells, followed by that of plasmodesmata between vascular parenchyma cells and companion cells, and then by the pore-plasmodesmata connections between companion cells and thin-walled sieve tubes (sieve tube-companion cell complexes). The sieve tube-companion cell complexes of theT. triandra leaf are not isolated symplastically from the rest of the leaf and, in this respect, differ from their counterparts in theZea mays leaf. However, the thick-walled sieve tubes, like their counterparts inZea mays, lack companion cells and are symplastically connected with vascular parenchyma cells that about the xylem.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- SEM:
-
scanning electron microscope
- TEM:
-
transmission electron microscope
References
Botha, C.E.J., Evert, R.F., Cross, R.H.M., Marshall, D.M. (1982a) Comparative anatomy of matureThemeda triandra Forsk. leaf blades: a correlated light and electron microscopy study. J. S. Afr. Bot.48, 311–328
Botha, C.E.J., Evert, R.F., Cross, R.H.M., Marshall, D.M. (1982b) The suberin lamella, a possible barrier to water transport from the bundles to the mesophyll ofThemeda triandra. Protoplasma112, 1–8
Brovchenko, M.I., Slobodskaya, G.A., Chmora, S.N., Lipatova, T.F. (1976) Effects of CO2 and O2 on photosynthesis and photosynthesis-linked escape of assimilates into the void space of the leaf in sugar beet. Sov. Plant Physiol.23, 1042–1049
Cataldo, D.A. (1974) Vein loading: the role of the symplast in intercellular transport or carbohydrate between the mesophyll and minor veins of tobacco leaves. Plant Physiol.53, 912–917
Chonan, N., Kawahara, H., Matsuda, T. (1984) Ultrastructure of vascular bundles and fundamental parenchyma in relation to movement of photosynthate in leaf sheath of rice. Jap. J. Crop Sci.53, 435–444
Chonan, N., Kawahara, H., Matsuda, T. (1985) Ultrastructure of transverse veins in relation to phloem loading in the rice leaf. Jap. J. Crop Sci.54, 160–169
Ellis, R.P. (1976) A procedure for standardizing comparative leaf anatomy in the Poaceae. I. The leaf-blade as viewed in transverse section. Bothalia12, 65–109
Evert, R.F., Botha, C.E.J., Mierzwa, R.J. (1985) Free-space marker studies on the leaf ofZea mays L. Protoplasma126, 62–73
Evert, R.F., Eschrich, W., Heyser, W. (1977) Distribution and structure of the plasmodesmata in mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells ofZea mays L. Planta136, 77–89
Evert, R.F., Eschrich, W., Heyser, W. (1978) Leaf structure in relation to solute transport in phloem loading inZea mays L. Planta138, 279–294
Evert, R.F., Mierzwa, R.J. (1986) Pathway(s) of assimilate movement from mesophyll cells to sieve tubes in theBeta vulgaris leaf. In: Phloem transport, pp. 419–432, Cronshaw, J., Lucas, W.J., Giaquinta, R.T., eds. Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York
Fisher, D.G. (1986) Ultrastructure, plasmodesmatal frequency, and solute concentrations in green areas of variegatedColeus blumei Benth. leaves. Planta169, 141–152
Fisher, D.G., Evert, R.F. (1982) Studies on the leaf ofAmaranthus retroflexus (Amaranthaceae): ultrastructure, plasmodesmatal frequency, and solute concentration in relation to phloem loading. Planta155, 377–387
Fritz, E., Evert, R.F., Heyser, W. (1983) Microautoradiographic studies of phloem loading and transport in the leaf ofZea mays L. Planta159, 193–206
Gamalei, Yu. V., Pakhomova, M.V. (1981) Distribution of plasmodesmata and parenchyma transport of assimilates in the leaves of several dicots. Sov. Plant Physiol.28, 649–661
Geiger, D.R., Giaquinta, R.T. (1982) Translocation of photosynthate. In: Photosynthesis, vol. II, pp. 345–386, Govindjee, ed. Academic Press, New York London Paris San Diego San Francisco Sao Paulo Sydney Tokyo
Giaquinta, R.T. (1980) Translocation of sucrose and oligosaccharides. In: Biochemistry of plants, vol. 3, pp. 271–320, Preiss, J., ed. Academic Press, New York London Toronto Sydney San Francisco
Giaquinta, R.T. (1983) Phloem loading of sucrose. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol.34, 347–387
Gunning, B.E.S., Pate, J.S., Minchin, F.R., Marks, I. (1974) Quantitative aspects of transfer cell structure in relation to vein loading in leaves and solute transport in legume nodules. Symp. Soc. Exp. Biol.28, 87–126
Hattersley, P.W., Browing, A.J. (1981) Occurrence of the suberized lamella in leaves of grasses of different photosynthetic types. I. In parenchymatous bundle sheaths and PCR (“Kranz”) sheaths. Protoplasma109, 371–401
Kaneko, M., Chonan, N., Matsuda, T., Kawahara, H. (1980) Ultrastructure of small vascular bundles and transfer pathways for photosynthate in the leaves of rice plant. Jap. J. Crop Sci.49, 42–50
Kuo, J., O'Brien, T.P., Canny, M.J. (1974) Pit-field distribution, plasmodesmatal frequency, and assimilate flux in the mestome sheath cells of wheat leaves. Planta121, 97–118
Kursanov, A.L., Brovchenko, M.I. (1969) Free space as an intermediate zone between photosynthesizing and conducting cells of leaves. Sov. Plant Physiol.16, 801–807
Madore, M., Webb, J.A. (1981) Leaf free space analysis and vein loading inCucurbita pepo. Can. J. Bot.59, 2550–2557
Olesen, P. (1975) Plasmodesmata between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells in relation to the exchange of C4-acids. Planta123, 199–202
Russin, W.A., Evert, R.F. (1985) Studies on the leaf ofPopulus deltoides (Salicaceae): ultrastructure, plasmodesmatal frequency, and solute concentrations. Am. J. Bot.72, 1232–1247
Spurr, A.R. (1969) A low viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res.26, 31–43
Ziegler, H. (1974) Biochemical aspects of phloem transport. Symp. Soc. Exp. Biol.28, 43–62
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Botha, C.E.J., Evert, R.F. Plasmodesmatal distribution and frequency in vascular bundles and contiguous tissues of the leaf ofThemeda triandra . Planta 173, 433–441 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00958954
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00958954