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New information on the morphology of the gossypol pigment gland of cottonseed
Author(s) -
Moore Anna T.,
Rollins Mary L.
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02641241
Subject(s) - gossypol , electron microscope , morphology (biology) , pigment , cottonseed , materials science , chemistry , biophysics , optics , biology , botany , organic chemistry , biochemistry , physics , genetics
Exploratory electron microscope studies of the cottonseed pigment gland demonstrate a complex internal structure in which discrete particles ranging in size from one micron to less than 0.2 micron diameter are held within a membranous meshlike network. This structure is extremely sensitive to water, and it may be the rapid swelling of the network which results in the explosive release of pigment particles from the gland on exposure to moisture. Pigment particles are spherical, of a wide range of diameters, and exhibit no birefringence in the gland or when extruded. Calculations of specific surface based on sizes of particles and density of purified gossypol (1.34) indicate surface area per gram of gossypol particles of the order of 8 square meters. Further work is indicated to determine details of the structure of the platelets, which constitute the wall of the gland, and to establish the relationship of gossypol and gossypurpurin to morphological features within the gland.