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Chloroplasts

Chloroplasts are double-membraned organelles found in plant cells and algae that contain chlorophyll and are the sites of photosynthesis. They have an outer and inner membrane, with an intermembrane space between them, and contain stacks of thylakoids called grana within a stroma. Chlorophyll is located in the thylakoid membranes and absorbs sunlight to drive the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis, producing oxygen and energy carriers. The primary functions of chloroplasts are carrying out photosynthesis to synthesize carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using energy from sunlight.

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100 views3 pages

Chloroplasts

Chloroplasts are double-membraned organelles found in plant cells and algae that contain chlorophyll and are the sites of photosynthesis. They have an outer and inner membrane, with an intermembrane space between them, and contain stacks of thylakoids called grana within a stroma. Chlorophyll is located in the thylakoid membranes and absorbs sunlight to drive the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis, producing oxygen and energy carriers. The primary functions of chloroplasts are carrying out photosynthesis to synthesize carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using energy from sunlight.

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JESICA OXALES
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Chloroplasts

Plants form the basis of all life on earth and are known as producers. Plant cells contain structures
known as plastids which are absent in animal cells. These plastids are double-membraned cell
organelles which play a primary role in the manufacturing and storing of food. There are three
types of plastids –

 Chromoplasts- They are the colour plastids, found in all flowers, fruits and are mainly responsible for
their distinctive colours.
 Chloroplasts- They are green coloured plastids, which comprise green-coloured pigments within the
plant cell and are called chlorophyll.
 Leucoplasts- They are colourless plastids and are mainly used for the storage of starch, lipids and
proteins within the plant cell.

 Chloroplast Definition
 “Chloroplast is an organelle that contains the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll
that captures sunlight and converts it into useful energy, thereby, releasing oxygen
from water. “
 What is a Chloroplast?
 Chloroplasts are found in all green plants and algae. They are the food producers of plants.
These are found in mesophyll cells located in the leaves of the plants. They contain a high
concentration of chlorophyll that traps sunlight. This cell organelle is not present in animal
cells.
 Chloroplast has its own extra-nuclear DNA and therefore are semiautonomous, like
mitochondria. They also produce proteins and lipids required for the production of
chloroplast membrane.
 Also Read: Plastids
 Diagram of Chloroplast
 The chloroplast diagram below represents the chloroplast structure mentioning the different
parts of the chloroplast. The parts of a chloroplast such as the inner membrane, outer
membrane, intermembrane space, thylakoid membrane, stroma and lamella can be clearly
marked out.

Structure of Chloroplast
Chloroplasts are found in all higher plants. It is oval or biconvex, found within the mesophyll of
the plant cell. The size of the chloroplast usually varies between 4-6 µm in diameter and 1-3 µm
in thickness. They are double-membrane organelle with the presence of outer, inner and
intermembrane space. There are two distinct regions present inside a chloroplast known as the
grana and stroma.

 Grana are made up of stacks of disc-shaped structures known as thylakoids or lamellae. The grana of
the chloroplast consists of chlorophyll pigments and are the functional units of chloroplasts.
 Stroma is the homogenous matrix which contains grana and is similar to the cytoplasm in cells in which
all the organelles are embedded. Stroma also contains various enzymes, DNA, ribosomes, and other
substances. Stroma lamellae function by connecting the stacks of thylakoid sacs or grana.

The chloroplast structure consists of the following parts:

Membrane Envelope
It comprises inner and outer lipid bilayer membranes. The inner membrane separates the stroma
from the intermembrane space.

Intermembrane Space
The space between inner and outer membranes.

Thylakoid System (Lamellae)


The system is suspended in the stroma. It is a collection of membranous sacs called thylakoids or
lamellae. The green coloured pigments called chlorophyll are found in the thylakoid membranes. It
is the sight for the process of light-dependent reactions of the photosynthesis process. The
thylakoids are arranged in stacks known as grana and each granum contains around 10-20
thylakoids.

Stroma
It is a colourless, alkaline, aqueous, protein-rich fluid present within the inner membrane of the
chloroplast present surrounding the grana.

Grana
Stack of lamellae in plastids is known as grana. These are the sites of conversion of light energy
into chemical energy.

Chlorophyll
It is a green photosynthetic pigment that helps in the process of photosynthesis.

Also read: Light-dependent Reactions

Functions of Chloroplast
Following are the important chloroplast functions:

 The most important function of the chloroplast is to synthesise food by the process of photosynthesis.
 Absorbs light energy and converts it into chemical energy.
 Chloroplast has a structure called chlorophyll which functions by trapping the solar energy and is used
for the synthesis of food in all green plants.
 Produces NADPH and molecular oxygen (O2) by photolysis of water.
 Produces ATP – Adenosine triphosphate by the process of photosynthesis.
 The carbon dioxide (CO2) obtained from the air is used to generate carbon and sugar during the Calvin
Cycle or dark reaction of photosynthesis.

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