Thank you so much!
What are these spirals?
What are these spirals?
I was examining a cross section of the stem of some dill (the herb), and noticed that there are many spirals of various sizes protruding from what seems to be the vascular bundle. What are these spirals? I've never seen them before, usually I've been sectioning things like clover stems, tree leaf stems, or bush stems and these spirals have not been present. Some pictures are attached below.
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
Re: What are these spirals?
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They look like xylem
They look like xylem
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Re: What are these spirals?
Agree with 75' - stretched xylem walls, common with hand sectioning.
These spirals are from 'primary xylem' vessels (forming perhaps confusingly 'secondary cell-walls'), which are required to expand, mainly by lengthening, as they're laid-down immediately after they've differentiated from the shoot-meristem, even before any other such new tissue-cells have finished elongating (growing to their mature size). This means that they are able to stretch in accomodation of the maturing and lengthening of new tissue.
The spiral's spacing is 'pulled wider' as this occurs. Another such primary-cell thickening (of the secondary cell-wall) takes the form of discreet rings which again allow the cells to stretch.
These spirals are from 'primary xylem' vessels (forming perhaps confusingly 'secondary cell-walls'), which are required to expand, mainly by lengthening, as they're laid-down immediately after they've differentiated from the shoot-meristem, even before any other such new tissue-cells have finished elongating (growing to their mature size). This means that they are able to stretch in accomodation of the maturing and lengthening of new tissue.
The spiral's spacing is 'pulled wider' as this occurs. Another such primary-cell thickening (of the secondary cell-wall) takes the form of discreet rings which again allow the cells to stretch.
John B
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DonSchaeffer
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Re: What are these spirals?
I see these all over when I look at vegetable cells. I always wondered what they were.
Re: What are these spirals?
Thank you everyone! I appreciate the help a lot.
That makes sense, as I did hand section the stem. It's pretty cool how the xylem walls can stretch like that!stretched xylem walls, common with hand sectioning.