Viscin Cells in the Dwarf Mistletoe Arceuthobium ... - Davidsonia

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Image: Cynthia M. Ross
Figure 6. Whole viscin cells obtained from a seed collected 10 days following explosive
discharge and stained with 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloridescale (2,3,5-TTC).
Note the obviously red-stained nucleus, which is viable. n = nucleus; bar = 50 µm
pole, the embryo will be drawn into close contact with the host when
the mucilage permanently dries. Secondly, the viscin cell helical walls
recoil upon drying; when whole seeds were dried on glass plates, the
viscin cells shortened and the coiling became visibly tighter, anchoring
the seed downward (Figure 5).
Viscin cell functions outside the fruit may depend on their biochemical
activity. Scharpf and Parmeter (1962) examined the viability of the
Arceuthobium embryos with the vital oxidation-reduction stain 2,3,5-
triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (2,3,5-TTC). We observed evidence of