Conocephalum sp. pegged rhizoids
This is a bright field longitudinal section through the rhizoids of Liverwort Conocephalum sp. These are single cell structures which anchor the thallus to the ground. Water is conducted to the thallus via capillary action between the rhizoids. Those shown here are pegged rhizoids which are dead cells at maturity. Smooth rhizoids should also be found in this liverwort, however, I have not yet located them. In the fresh specimen, the rhizoids were surrounded by a clear mucilaginous layer. No attempt was made to remove this material prior to fixing. (J.G.Duckett, et.al., "Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society"[174] 68-92 (2014))
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 24 hr. Dehydrated in IPA at 35, 50, 70, 85, 91, 95, 99 %. Infiltrated with paraplast saturated xylene 48 hr followed by 2 Paraplast baths prior to embedding in Paraplast. Sectioned 11 um thick on a Spencer 820 microtome. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 95, 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained Gill's Hematoxylin 10 sec. Washed 3 min running water. Blued in 0.05 % lithium carbonate 30 s. Water rinse 1 min. Stained 1 % aq. Eosin-Y 1 min. Dehydrated 99 % IPA 2 min. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed in bright field on a Spencer 42 petrographic microscope at original magnification using a Sony NEX-5N and a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
Conocephalum sp. pegged rhizoids
This is a bright field longitudinal section through the rhizoids of Liverwort Conocephalum sp. These are single cell structures which anchor the thallus to the ground. Water is conducted to the thallus via capillary action between the rhizoids. Those shown here are pegged rhizoids which are dead cells at maturity. Smooth rhizoids should also be found in this liverwort, however, I have not yet located them. In the fresh specimen, the rhizoids were surrounded by a clear mucilaginous layer. No attempt was made to remove this material prior to fixing. (J.G.Duckett, et.al., "Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society"[174] 68-92 (2014))
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 24 hr. Dehydrated in IPA at 35, 50, 70, 85, 91, 95, 99 %. Infiltrated with paraplast saturated xylene 48 hr followed by 2 Paraplast baths prior to embedding in Paraplast. Sectioned 11 um thick on a Spencer 820 microtome. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 95, 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained Gill's Hematoxylin 10 sec. Washed 3 min running water. Blued in 0.05 % lithium carbonate 30 s. Water rinse 1 min. Stained 1 % aq. Eosin-Y 1 min. Dehydrated 99 % IPA 2 min. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed in bright field on a Spencer 42 petrographic microscope at original magnification using a Sony NEX-5N and a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.