Polysaccharide localization in the sporophyte cell wall of Adenocystis utricularis (Ectocarpales s.l., Phaeophyceae).

PONCE NORA; LEONARDI PATRICIA; FLORES MARIA; STORTZ CARLOS; RODRIGUEZ CECILIA

PHYCOLOGIA

International Phycological Society

Lugar: Lawrence; Año: 2007 vol. 46 p. 675 - 679

0031-8884

The chemical composition of the sporophyte cell wall of Adenocystis utricularis was examined by using a number of histochemical techniques for the localization of polysaccharides, including labeling with a fluorescent alginate probe. Histochemical staining allowed to confirm data from exhaustive extraction of polysaccharides from the algal thalli, i.e., a low alginate/fucoidan ratio in the cell wall. Alginate was located in inner portion of cell walls. “Egg-box” structure of alginate in inner cortical cells may be related with the mechanism of algal growth. Abundance of fucoidan was confirmed by extraction on semithin sections and staining. Weak staining on non extracted material was in agreement with previously proposed blockage of sulfate groups in these polysaccharides.