Electron Microscopy of the Developing Cotton Fiber

Abstract

Cotton fibers are single cells that arise by virtue of elongation of certain cells in the outer epidermal layer of the outer integument of the cottonseed. Guard cells are present in this epidermal layer of the cottonseed, but the majority of the cells are cuboidal in nature (Fig. A). These cuboidal cells either elongate to become lint fibers or fuzz fibers or fail to elongate and simply remain as epidermal cells. Initiation of elongation of epidermal cells that ultimately become lint fibers occurs at anthesis. The mature lint fiber is a single cell having a diameter of some 20 micra and which is frequently over an inch in length.