Electron Microscopic Structure of the Epithelial Cells of the Scutellum of Barley. The Structure of the Epithelial Cells before Germination

The cylindrical epithelial cells of the scutellum of ripe ungerminated barley were studied with the electron microscope. The most striking feature is the abundance of globular bodies of about 0.2 n, probably containing lipids and provisionally called sphaerosomes. Most of them are situated along the cellwall and along several cytoplasmic bodies, which often lie in the vicinity of the nucleus. These bodies vary in shape and in size (1-3 /j.) and they seem to be vacuoles filled with protein. Usually they have an inner cavity. In other respects the structure seems normal for a cell in a resting-stage. Besides proplastids and mitochondria, a small number of Golgi apparatuses are to be seen. The endoplasmic reticulum is scarce.