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Symplastic isolation of the sieve element-companion cell complex in the phloem of Ricinus communis and Salix alba stems

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Abstract

The anatomical and physiological isolation of the sieve element-companion cell complex (se-cc complex) was investigated in stems of Ricinus communis L. and Salix alba L. In Ricinus, the plasmodesmatal frequencies were in the proportions 8∶1∶2∶30, in the order given, at the interfaces between sieve tube-companion cell, sieve tube-phloem parenchyma cell, companion cellphloem parenchyma cell, and phloem parenchyma cellphloem parenchyma cell. The membrane potentials of the se-cc complex and the surrounding phloem-parenchyma cells sharply contrasted: the membrane potential of the se-cc complex was about twice as negative as that of the phloem parenchyma. Lucifer Yellow CH injected into the sieve element or into the companion cell remained within the se-cc complex. Dye introduced into phloem parenchyma only moved (mostly poorly) to other phloem-parenchyma cells. The distribution of the plasmodesmatal frequencies, the differential dye-coupling and the sharp discontinuities in membrane potentials indicate that the se-cc complexes constitute symplast domains in the stem phloem. Symplastic autonomy is discussed as a basic necessity for the functioning of the se-cc complex in the stem.

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Abbreviations

Em :

membrane potential

LYCH:

Lucifer Yellow CH

se-cc complex:

sieve element-companion cell complex

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Transport Physiology Research Group, University of Utrecht, Lange Nieuwstraat 106, NL-3512, Utrecht, PN, The Netherlands

    Aart J. E. van Bel & Ronald Kempers

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  1. Aart J. E. van Bel
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  2. Ronald Kempers
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We gratefully acknowledge the enthusiastic involvement in the experiments and the critical reading of the manuscript by Dr. C. van der School (ATO, Wageningen). We thank Dr. F. Bretschneider (Laboratory of Animal Physiology, University of Utrecht) for helpful suggestions concerning the electronic set-up. The help of Dr. M. Erwee in preparation of the specimens of electron microscopy is highly appreciated. The hospitality of the Laboratory of Zoology (University of Utrecht) by providing electron-microscope facilities is greatly appreciated.

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van Bel, A.J.E., Kempers, R. Symplastic isolation of the sieve element-companion cell complex in the phloem of Ricinus communis and Salix alba stems. Planta 183, 69–76 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00197569

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