This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Web of Science (34) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gnanam, A. Articles by Kulandaivelu, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gnanam, A. Articles by Kulandaivelu, G. Agricola Articles by Gnanam, A. Articles by Kulandaivelu, G.

Articles

Photosynthetic Studies With Leaf Cell Suspensions From Higher Plants ¹

^a Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, (Tamilnadu), India

A technique for obtaining intact mesophyll cell suspensions derived from higher plant leaves is described. A large number of taxonomically unrelated plants were found suitable for cell `extraction' including several plant species from monocotyledonous group.

The absorption spectra of leaf cells in suspension differed only slightly from that of Chlorella cells. The higher plant cells respired and photosynthesized in aqueous solutions very much like algal cell suspensions. Only osmotically intact cells photosynthesized maximally and their activity was stimulated by 2 to several fold by the addition of bicarbonate to the medium. The isolated cells when stored at low temperature with proper aeration maintained their initial activity for a minimum of 9 hr. Cells stored at the room temperature (27 ± 2°) lost their activity rather rapidly. The isolated cells were physiologically intact as tested by their metabolic response to diverse inhibiting chemicals and growth regulating substances.

³ G. Kulandaivelu is a recipient of U.G.C. Scholarship for research.

¹ Supported in part by IV plan Grant from University Grants Commission, India.