Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,587,213,706 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

Pyrenoid

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
pyrenoid: see chloroplast chloroplast , a complex, discrete green structure, or organelle, contained in the cytoplasm of plant cells. Chloroplasts are reponsible for the green color of almost all plants and are lacking only in plants that do not make their own food, such as fungi and nongreen
..... Click the link for more information.
.
pyrenoid [′pir·ə‚nȯid]
(botany)
A colorless body found within the chromatophore of certain algae; a center for starch formation and storage.

Pyrenoid 

a cell organelle of many algae and of Hepaticae (mosses) of the order Anthocerotales. Pyrenoids, which are rounded or angular in outline, are located in or on the chloroplast. They are always closely associated with the chloroplast and serve as the site of starch formation. The size and number of pyrenoids may change with the age of the cell. The pyrenoid consists of a central protein body—the stroma—and a starchy covering (some pyrenoids lack this covering). The stroma of the pyrenoid, like that of the chloroplast, is finely granular; however, its consistency is more solid. It has embedded lamellae consisting of a continuation of more or less reduced lamellar system of the chloroplast. New pyrenoids arise as new formations or as a result of binary fission or fragmentation. The presence or absence of pyrenoids is a taxonomic characteristic.



How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Feedback
Mentioned in?   Encyclopedia browser?   Full browser?
No references found
 
 
 
Encyclopedia
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.