An Ultrastructural Analysis of Aleurone Cells: Lamellar Bodies in Aleurone Layers of Wheat Grains during Germination

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Abstract
Aleurone cells of wheat undergo changes during development that encompass 2 phases, a quiescent early phase and a synthetic late phase. During the early phase, 4-8 h of imbibition, cell ultrastructure undergoes little change. During the synthetic phase (8-14 h), the cells undergo changes that include the appearance and disappearance of lamellar bodies and a 2-fold increase in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Lamellar bodies are predominantly associated with protein bodies and ER. A precursor-product relationship between protein-body-associated and ER-associated lamellar bodies and between lamellar bodies and ER is consistent with morphometric data. No such relationship is evident for the globoids in the protein bodies. The differential distribution of lamellar bodies in aleurone cells may be an illustration of their general involvement in a unique arrangement, organization or state of membrane lipids.