amyloplast

(noun)

a non-pigmented organelle found in some plant cells that is responsible for the synthesis and storage of starch granules through the polymerization of glucose

Related Terms

Examples of amyloplast in the following topics:

  • Plant Responses to Gravity

    • The reason plants know which way to grow in response to gravity is due to amyloplasts in the plants.
    • Amyloplasts (also known as statoliths) are specialized plastids that contain starch granules and settle downward in response to gravity.
    • Amyloplasts are found in shoots and in specialized cells of the root cap.
    • After the shoot or root begin to grow vertically, the amyloplasts return to their normal position.
    • Despite being tilted, amyloplasts will cause the shoot to grow in a vertical direction.