Changes in the membrane components of nondividing cambial cells

Abstract

Horse-chestnut cambial cells are characterized by the formation of numerous plasmalemma invaginations and the accumulation of membrane whorls in the vacuoles during the transition from activity to rest. This suggests an active membrane trafficking which was investigated with conventional electron microscopy methods combined with selective cytochemical staining. After the cessation of meristematic activity, cell wall thickening is accompanied by increased dictyosome activity. The incorporation of dictyosome vesicles into the plasma membrane produces an increase in plasmalemma surface area in these nongrowing cells. This increase is compensated for by endocytosis accomplished by the formation of saclike plasmalemma invaginations into the peripheral cytoplasm. These invaginations often contain vesicles and tubules. When these invaginations come in contact with a vacuole, they appear to push the tonoplast into the vacuole and form double-membrane protrusions which may eventually separate from the plasmalemma. ER cisternae situated in the intermembrane zone also appear to be transported into the vacuole. Other cisternae may be directly sequestered into the vacuole or take part in the formation of the myelinlike structures which were observed in the cytoplasm. Thus, the vacuoles appear to fill progressively with complex membranous structures of various origins (plasmalemma, tonoplast, ER). It is suggested that their subsequent disappearance during the winter is a consequence of the hydrolytic action of vacuolar contents.