Corn cells are the location of corn plant activity of its growth and its ultimate grain production. The cells include a nucleus with chromosomes with the DNA genetics. Leaf cells contain chloroplast for converting light into chemical energy, including the carbohydrates that eventually end up in grain. Mitochondria, another type of organelle in all living cells convert the carbohydrates into a form of energy (ATP) that can drive the multiple other biological processes for cell and plant growth. These organelles can barely be seen with 1000X power of a light microscope. The rest of the cytoplasm within the cell is even more difficult to distinguish at that magnification but the rest of the cell cytoplasm can only be distinguished with the power of electron microscopy.
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a thin, tubular membrane that has multiple folds as it connects many of the other operating particles within the cell cytoplasm. Part of this membrane has a rough appearance because it is dominated with multiple ribosomes. These organelles are the sight of translating to mRNA code into proteins. The ER assists in movement of the mRNA to the ribosome and the proteins to other function particles in the cytoplasm. Part of the ER appears as smooth because it lacks the ribosomes but remain as the sites for the multiple products of the cells. Chemical products within the smooth ER are essential to most plant functions producing the lipids such as those needed for cell wall construction and anti -pathogen toxins. Folds in the smooth ER also commonly separate toxins from other potential detrimental organelles of the cell. Endoplasmic reticulum also assists in the movement of products of chloroplasts to other cells such as carbohydrates moved through the phloem to the root cells. Endoplasmic reticulum is considered an organelle although it is not as easily distinguished as chloroplasts and mitochondria. A lot is going on that living corn plant. Comments are closed.
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About Corn JournalThe purpose of this blog is to share perspectives of the biology of corn, its seed and diseases in a mix of technical and not so technical terms with all who are interested in this major crop. With more technical references to any of the topics easily available on the web with a search of key words, the blog will rarely cite references but will attempt to be accurate. Comments are welcome but will be screened before publishing. Comments and questions directed to the author by emails are encouraged.
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