I have always thought that the sclerids in pears were analogous to the rocks in
cement. The sclerids give the parenchyma cells something to form around. This
would give more structure to the fruit.
Just my two cents worth.
Cyndy
>>> -----Original Message-----
> "Bohmfalk, John" wrote:
>> > Esteemed and much more knowledgeable colleagues,
> >
> > In botany lab, we did a phloroglucinol staining of pear to visualize the
> > sclerids. A student asked a rather impertinent question about the
> function
> > of these stone cells. I have not a clue what their role is. Any
> hypotheses
> > or ideas or known role?
> >
> > Thanks.
> > John
> >
> > Dr. John Bohmfalk
> > Biology Department
> > Hastings College
> > Hastings, NE
> > jbohmfalk at hastings.edu> > (402) 461-7470
> >
> > ____________________
> > "Take interest, I implore you, in those sacred dwellings called
> > laboratories. Demand that they be multiplied, that they be adorned.
> These
> > are the temples of the future, temples of well-being and of
> > happiness."-Louis Pasteur
> >
> > Dr. John Bohmfalk
> > Biology Department
> > Hastings College
> > Hastings, NE
> > jbohmfalk at hastings.edu> > (402) 461-7470
> >
> > ____________________
> > "Take interest, I implore you, in those sacred dwellings called
> > laboratories. Demand that they be multiplied, that they be adorned.
> These
> > are the temples of the future, temples of well-being and of
> > happiness."-Louis Pasteur
> >
> > ---
>> ---
>> ---
---
