Structural and component characterization of meristem cells in Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Kuntze zygotic embryo

Araucaria angustifolia , the Brazilian pine, is an endangered native conifer with economic and ecological importance. The female cone develops seeds containing the zygotic embryo, which, at cotyledonary stage, shows well-developed meristems. Little is known about the structure of gymnosperm meristem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Protoplasma 2013-06, Vol.250 (3), p.731-739
Main Authors: Rogge-Renner, Gladys D., Steiner, Neusa, Schmidt, Éder C., Bouzon, Zenilda L., Farias, Francine L., Guerra, Miguel P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cell Biology
Cell Nucleus - ultrastructure
Coniferophyta - cytology
Coniferophyta - ultrastructure
Life Sciences
Meristem - cytology
Meristem - ultrastructure
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Original Article
Plant Sciences
Seeds - cytology
Seeds - ultrastructure
Starch - metabolism
Zoology
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Summary:Araucaria angustifolia , the Brazilian pine, is an endangered native conifer with economic and ecological importance. The female cone develops seeds containing the zygotic embryo, which, at cotyledonary stage, shows well-developed meristems. Little is known about the structure of gymnosperm meristems. In the present work, the composition and morphological organization of Araucaria angustifolia shoot and root apical meristems were studied during embryo development, using histochemical and microscope analyses. Histochemical evaluation revealed the presence of cellulose within the cell wall, cells with the presence of total proteins that react with Coomassie Brilliant Blue, starch grains, and large nuclei with evident nucleoli in the cytoplasm. Scanning electron microscopy showed apical meristem surface morphology, and both scanning and transmission microscopy revealed a thin and irregular cell wall with plasmodesmata and within the cells, mitochondria, many vacuoles, lipid bodies, Golgi bodies, and many amyloplasts with endoplasmic reticulum surrounding them and large nuclei. Similar to angiosperm cells, A . angustifolia meristem cells exhibit pluripotent characteristics, such as apparatus for intercellular communication and differentiation.
ISSN:0033-183X
1615-6102
DOI:10.1007/s00709-012-0457-8