Leaf Cells

By Griffin Flowers

The leaves of plants, comprised of leaf cells,
are responsible for photosynthesis and more.
They are designed specifically for their
functions, their broad, flat shape serving to
take in as much sunlight as possible, and
countless other things that each serve a
particular function for the plant.

One thing in particular, found under the
epidermis of leaves in some plants, makes
plants seem much smarter and more
perceptive than we might think. A special
pigment called phytochrome found in plant
cells serves as a light receptor (also called a
photoreceptor) for the plant. It is designed to
sense where light is, helping the plant know
where the most amount of light is. This lets
the plant know where and how to move so as
to get the maximum amount of energy, which
it then converts into food for itself, as
possible. Phytochrome is found in many
flowering plants, which includes the daisy,
grass, rose, and pepper families, as well as
many others.

The layer of epidermis on the leaf itself helps
with this also, since it is transparent, so as to
let in as much light as possible.

In addition to phytochrome, there are also
other photoreceptors in leaf cells that help the
plant, such as cryptochrome, which mediates
phototropism, making the plant grow in the
direction of a light source in response to the
reception of blue light.

Along with cryptochromes, another
photoreceptor, the phototropins, which help
with phototropism and environmental
responses in plants. Phototropins also cause
the stomata (tiny, mouth-like structures on
leaves) to open, allowing air and water to
flow in and out.

The fourth and final photoreceptor found in
the leaf cells of plants is UVR8, a receptor
that detects UV-B, a DNA-damaging
wavelength of ultraviolet light. Once it
detects UV-B, the UVR8 photoreceptor
creates a stress response in the plant in the
hopes of protecting itself from damage to the
plants DNA.

In conclusion, there are many interesting and
impressive things inside plants; just the
mechanisms of the cells of their leaves and
their light-detecting abilities are amazing!

Left: leaf cells under a microscope
Above: phytochrome, a photoreceptor that senses where light is