Structural differences contrast higher plant and animal golgi apparatus

Abstract

The intercistemal spacings between cistemae of dictyosomes of higher plants differ from those of mammalian dictyosomes. In plants, the spacings increase from an average of about 8·0 nm at the forming face to about 14·0 nm at the maturing face. The increase in spacing coincides with the appearance within the intercistemal space of parallel filaments called intercistemal elements. In mammals, the intercistemal spacings are more nearly constant, and intercistemal elements have not been observed. Plant and animal dictyosomes may differ as well in the relative widths of the cisternal lumina, the widths of the intercistemal spacings, and in more subtle ways involving the appearance of the membranes. These structural differences may be indicative of some functional differences that contrast higher plant and animal Golgi apparatus.