Question

You would recollect from previous unit that the mesophyll cells in the leaves, have a large number of chloroplasts. Usually the chloroplasts align themselves along the walls of the mesophyll cells, such that they get the optimum quantity of the incident light. When do you think the chloroplasts will be aligned with their flat surfaces parallel to the walls ? when would they be perpendicular to the incident light ?

Answer 1

At the time of lower / optimum light incidents or under stress conditions the chloroplasts will be aligned with their flat surfaces parallel to the walls of mesophyll cells so that they can get the maximum amount of light . And when the incident light will be of very higher light intensities then the chloroplasts will be aligned perpendicular to the wall to avoid photooxidation .