Cytological Studies of Protein Bodies of Developing Wheat Endosperm

Abstract

Fluorescence microscopy of thin sections of developing wheat endosperm previously fixed with osmium tetroxide and stained with acridine orange was used to study cellular development. Starch fonnation is predominant in the early period after flowering. The fine structure of developing endosperm cells was studied by electron microscopy of thin sections fixed and stained with osmium tetroxide or with potassium permanganate, or with formaldehyde followed by potassiumpermanganate. In addition to starch granules, numerous dense spheroidal bodies were observed. The staining reactions and the increase in numbers during growth indicated that the bodies probably consisted of storage protein. Observations on the occurrence of these protein bodies were made with three wheat varieties during two growing seasons (1959 and 1960). Based on the cytological evidence, the origin and intracellular localization of protein bodies is discussed.