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INTERFEROMETRIC CHANGES IN ONION NUCLEI AND NUCLEOLI DURING DEVELOPMENT
Author(s) -
MONOSON H. L.,
KULFINSKI F. B.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1975.tb01398.x
Subject(s) - scale (ratio) , nucleolus , bulb , dry weight , biology , physics , botany , nucleus , quantum mechanics , microbiology and biotechnology
SUMMARY The inner epidermis of the outermost (1) through to the innermost (7) bulb scales of mature white onions were studied by means of quantitative interferometry. Scale 7 represented the oldest unemerged leaf, whereas scales 1 to 6 represented mature leaf bases whose blades had grown, emerged, and withered. A developmental sequence was observed from scale 7 through to scale 1. Nuclei increased in area from 2.9 × 10 −6 cm 2 in scale 7 to 9.9 × 10 −6 cm 2 in scale 1, with the greatest increases among the younger scales. Nucleoli increased in area from 3.7 × 10 −8 cm 2 in scale 7 to 13.9 × 10 −8 cm 2 in scale 2. Dry mass per unit area of the nuclei increased from 7.8 × 10 −5 g/cm 2 in scale 7 to 12.4 × 10 −5 g/cm 2 in scale 1, with a maximum of 13.7 × 10 −5 g/cm 2 in scale 3. Nucleoli increased in dry mass per unit area from 6.2 × 10 −5 g/cm 2 in scale 7 to 9.2 × 10 −5 g/cm 2 in scale 1, with a maximum of 11.6 × 10 −5 g/cm 2 in scale 3. Nuclear dry mass increased from 2.1 × 10 −10 g in scale 7 to 12.1 × 10 −10 g in scale 1. Nucleolar dry mass increased from 2.3 × 10 −12 g in scale 7 to 12.9 × 10 −12 g in scale 1. The data suggest that nuclei and nucleoli increase in size and mass with cell size, thereby providing a greater biosynthetic (control) capacity to enlarging cells.