Middle lamella
Encyclopedia
The middle lamella is a pectin
layer which cements the cell wall
s of two adjoining cells together. Plants need this to give them stability and so that they can form plasmodesmata
between the cells. It is the first formed layer which is deposited at the time of cytokinesis
. The cell plate that is formed during cell division itself develops into middle lamella or lamellum. The middle lamella is made up of calcium and magnesium pectates.
In plants, the pectins form an unified and continuous layer between adjacent cells. Frequently, it is difficult to distinguish the middle lamella from the primary wall, especially in cells that develop thick secondary walls. In such cases, the two adjacent primary walls and the middle lamella, and perhaps the first layer of the secondary wall of each cell, may be called a compound middle lamella. In multicelluar organisms, when middle lamella dissolves, the cells get isolated from each other. If enzymes degrade the middle lamella, the adjacent cells will separate. This occurs when flower petals and leaves fall.
Pectin
Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of terrestrial plants. It was first isolated and described in 1825 by Henri Braconnot...
layer which cements the cell wall
Cell wall
The cell wall is the tough, usually flexible but sometimes fairly rigid layer that surrounds some types of cells. It is located outside the cell membrane and provides these cells with structural support and protection, and also acts as a filtering mechanism. A major function of the cell wall is to...
s of two adjoining cells together. Plants need this to give them stability and so that they can form plasmodesmata
Plasmodesmata
Plasmodesmata are microscopic channels which traverse the cell walls of plant cells and some algal cells, enabling transport and communication between them. Species that have plasmodesmata include members of the Charophyceae, Charales and Coleochaetales , as well as all embryophytes, better known...
between the cells. It is the first formed layer which is deposited at the time of cytokinesis
Cytokinesis
Cytokinesis is the process in which the cytoplasm of a single eukaryotic cell is divided to form two daughter cells. It usually initiates during the late stages of mitosis, and sometimes meiosis, splitting a binucleate cell in two, to ensure that chromosome number is maintained from one generation...
. The cell plate that is formed during cell division itself develops into middle lamella or lamellum. The middle lamella is made up of calcium and magnesium pectates.
In plants, the pectins form an unified and continuous layer between adjacent cells. Frequently, it is difficult to distinguish the middle lamella from the primary wall, especially in cells that develop thick secondary walls. In such cases, the two adjacent primary walls and the middle lamella, and perhaps the first layer of the secondary wall of each cell, may be called a compound middle lamella. In multicelluar organisms, when middle lamella dissolves, the cells get isolated from each other. If enzymes degrade the middle lamella, the adjacent cells will separate. This occurs when flower petals and leaves fall.