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Influence of microgravity on cellular differentiation in root caps of Zea maysWe launched imbibed seeds of Zea mays into outer space aboard the space shuttle Columbia to determine the influence of microgravity on cellular differentiation in root caps. The influence of microgravity varied with different stages of cellular differentiation. Overall, microgravity tended to 1) increase relative volumes of hyaloplasm and lipid bodies, 2) decrease the relative volumes of plastids, mitochondria, dictyosomes, and the vacuome, and 3) exert no influence on the relative volume of nuclei in cells comprising the root cap. The reduced allocation of dictyosomal volume in peripheral cells of flight-grown seedlings correlated positively with their secretion of significantly less mucilage than peripheral cells of Earth-grown seedlings. These results indicate that 1) microgravity alters the patterns of cellular differentiation and structures of all cell types comprising the root cap, and 2) the influence of microgravity on cellular differentiation in root caps of Zea mays is organelle specific.
Document ID
20040089865
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Moore, R.
(Baylor University Waco, Texas 76798, United States)
Fondren, W. M.
McClelen, C. E.
Wang, C. L.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: American journal of botany
Volume: 74
Issue: 7
ISSN: 0002-9122
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Program Space Biology
STS Shuttle Project
manned
short duration
NASA Discipline Plant Biology
Flight Experiment
NASA Discipline Number 40-10
Non-NASA Center

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