sporopollenin- nature, properties and uses
Post on 27-Jan-2017
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Sporopollenin
• Sporopollenins are probably the most resistant organic materials of direct biological origin found in nature and in geological samples. They are the chemical component that make up the outer wall of pollen grains, spores and many related microorganisms.
• Sporopollenin is one of the most chemically inert biological polymers.It is a major component of the tough outer (exine) walls of plant spores and pollen grains. It is chemically very stable and is usually well preserved in soils and sediments. The exine layer is often intricately sculptured in species-specific patterns (see image at right), allowing material recovered from (for example) lake sediments to provide useful information to palynologists about plant and fungal populations in the past. Sporopollenin has found uses in the field of paleoclimatology as well.
Etymologia
• John (1814) and Braconnot (1829). • Zetzsche (1928) introduced the term
sporonin to describe the wall material from spores of Lycopodium clavatum and used the collective name sporopollenin to describe the chemical substance present in both pollen and spore walls.
• The chemical composition of sporopollenin is not exactly known, due to its unusual chemical stability and resistance to degradation by enzymes and strong chemical reagents. Analyses have revealed a mixture of biopolymers, containing mainly long chain fatty acids, phenyl propanoids, phenolics and traces of carotenoids. Tracer experiments have shown that phenyl lanine is a major precursor, but other carbon sources also contribute. It is likely that sporopollenin derives from several precursors that are chemically cross-linked to form a rigid structure.-*
electron microscopy shows that the tapetal cells that surround the developing pollen grain in the anther have a highly active secretory system containing lipophilic globules. These globules are believed to contain sporopollenin precursors. Chemical inhibitors of pollen development and many male sterile mutants have effects on the secretion of these globules by the tapetal cells.
• Uses of sporopollenin
1. In health careone of its most profound attributes is that it is known to have a fantastic ability to act like a sponge around substances such as pesticides, toxins, chemicals and toxic metals, soaking them up and binding them together.
Benefits of detox foot pads• Contains high quality, pure bamboo vinegar extract to
ignite the removal of toxins.• Supports a healthy immune system.• Boosts vitality and energy.• Promotes healthy circulation.• Encourages a positive mental state.• Safe, effective, and easy to use. Disposable, no mess!
How do Detox Foot Pads work Detox Foot Pads work on the same osmotic
principle used by the plant kingdom. Tree roots transport water up to branches through semi-permeable membranes. Similarly, detox foot pads cause the skin to perspire and then draw circulating toxins from the bottom of the feet.
The new carbon-titanium adhesives are designed to increase the flow of bio-electricity and blood circulation around the pad to boost its effectiveness. The foot is where most of the nerves in the body end, making it the ideal location to clean out toxins, chemicals, and toxic metals which can be expelled through the sweat.
2. To deliver drugs• Pollen capsules that can be filled with nanomaterials could be used for
drug delivery, say scientists. Some plant pollens can cross the gut wall where they are destroyed within the blood stream, releasing their contents. This has led researchers to investigate pollen as possible drug delivery vehicles.
• Vesselin Paunov at University of Hull, UK, and colleagues have developed a way of filling pollen capsules with nanomaterials. Paunov says the method will allow sporopollenin, the material that makes up the outer layer of pollen, to be used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations. The researchers used the sporopollenin capsules as chemical micro-reactors, adding starting materials and then allowing a chemical reaction to generate the product inside the pollen. Paunov's team used this method to fill pollen capsules with organic, inorganic and magnetic nanoparticles.
Sporopollenin microcapsules from Lycopodium clavatum loaded with a range of inorganic and
organic nanomaterials
3. Palynology
• Palynology is the study of plant pollen, spores and certain microscopic plankton organisms (collectively termed palynomorphs) in both living and fossil form. Botanists use living pollen and spores (actuopalynology) in the study of plant relationships and evolution, while geologists (palynologists) may use fossil pollen and spores (paleopalynology) to study past environments, stratigraphy (the analysis of strata or layered rock) historical geology and paleontology.
Cross-section of the cell wall (structure) of a pollen grain and a spore.
The structure of both Pteridophyte and Bryophyte spores is very similar to pollen. They also possess a sporopollenin cell wall consisting of several layers. The inner layers are the endospore and exospore, the outer layer, which often "peels off" is the perispore.
Pollen exine assembles into elaborate species-specific patterns.Pollen grains of six plant species are shown.
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