what is the nature of the walls of the phloem vessels after they are stained in the microscopic section
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What is the nature of walls of phloem vessel
To answer your question about the nature of the walls of the phloem vessels after they are stained in a microscopic section, you would need to perform a staining technique called "phloroglucinol-HCl" staining.
Here's how you can perform the phloroglucinol-HCl staining to study the nature of the walls of the phloem vessels:
1. Collect a plant sample that contains phloem tissue. The stem or petiole of a plant is a good source for this purpose.
2. Prepare a longitudinal or transverse section of the plant tissue using a microtome or a sharp razor blade. Aim for thin sections, typically around 10-20 micrometers in thickness.
3. Once you have the sections, place them on a clean glass slide.
4. Prepare a mixture of phloroglucinol and hydrochloric acid (HCl). Phloroglucinol is a dye that reacts with lignin, a component present in the secondary cell walls of phloem cells.
5. Gently apply a few drops of the phloroglucinol-HCl solution onto the sections, ensuring that they are adequately covered. Be careful not to let the solution overflow.
6. Allow the sections to sit for a few minutes to permit proper staining. The time needed may vary, but 3-5 minutes is a common duration.
7. After the staining is complete, carefully remove any excess solution by gently blotting the slide with a tissue paper or a clean cotton swab. Avoid wiping so vigorously that the sections are damaged.
8. Place a coverslip over the stained sections to protect them and prevent drying.
9. Now, you can examine the stained sections under a microscope using the appropriate magnification and observe the nature of the phloem vessel walls. In particular, look for the presence of lignin, which is indicated by a reddish coloration resulting from the reaction with the phloroglucinol-HCl.
By following these steps and observing the stained phloem vessel sections under a microscope, you can gain insights into the nature of the walls of the phloem vessels, particularly regarding the presence of lignin.