Summary
The formative divisions of protophloem mother cells in roots of the grassAegilops comosa var.thessalica have been investigated by means of light and electron microscopy. Two successive differential divisions create protophloem poles consisting of a protophloem sieve element and two companion cells. Pre-prophase bands of microtubules appear in premitotic cells anticipating the plane of orientation of the cell plate and indicating the site where the daughter wall will join the parent one. Evidence is accumulated that the site previously occupied by pre-prophase band is bisected by the new wall. Structural asymmetries that could express polarity, like organelle displacement, were not observed in premitotic cells. A working hypothesis is proposed integrating the conclusions of the present study in a diagram correlating pre-prophase bands of microtubules and differential divisions.
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Eleftheriou, E.P., Tsekos, I. Development of protophloem in roots ofAegilops comosa var.thessalica. I. Differential divisions and pre-prophase bands of microtubules. Protoplasma 113, 110–119 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281999
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281999