{"id":696,"date":"2017-04-16T02:54:40","date_gmt":"2017-04-16T02:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/chapter\/8-2-main-structures-and-summary-of-photosynthesis\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T19:59:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T19:59:41","slug":"8-2-main-structures-and-summary-of-photosynthesis","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/chapter\/8-2-main-structures-and-summary-of-photosynthesis\/","title":{"raw":"The structure of the chloroplast","rendered":"The structure of the chloroplast"},"content":{"raw":"In plants, photosynthesis takes place primarily in leaves, which consist of many layers of cells and have differentiated top and bottom sides. The process of photosynthesis occurs not on the surface layers of the leaf, but rather in a middle layer called the mesophyll (Figure 1<\/strong>).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_693\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1024\"]\"Cross-section Figure 1:<\/strong> Not all cells of a leaf carry out photosynthesis. Cells within the middle layer of a leaf have chloroplasts, which contain the photosynthetic apparatus. (image credit: Zephyris<\/a>; Wikimedia)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe gas exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen occurs through small, regulated openings called stomata<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_694\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"293\"]\"Tomato Figure 2:<\/strong>\u00a0Tomato leaf stomate (singular of stomata). (image credit: Photohound<\/a>; Wikimedia)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIn eukaryotes, photosynthesis takes place inside an organelle called a chloroplast<\/strong>. Some prokaryotes can perform photosynthesis, but they do not contain chloroplasts (or other membrane-bound organelles). In plants, chloroplast-containing cells exist in the mesophyll. Chloroplasts are surrounded by a double membrane similar to the double membrane found within a mitochondrion. Within the chloroplast is a third membrane that forms stacked, disc-shaped structures called thylakoids<\/strong>. Embedded in the thylakoid membrane are molecules of chlorophyll<\/strong>, a pigment (a molecule that absorbs light) through which the entire process of photosynthesis begins. Chlorophyll is responsible for the green color of plants. The thylakoid membrane encloses an internal space called the thylakoid lumen or space. Other types of pigments are also involved in photosynthesis, but chlorophyll is by far the most important. As shown in Figure 3<\/strong>, a stack of thylakoids is called a granum<\/strong>, and the space surrounding the granum is called stroma <\/strong>(not to be confused with stomata, the openings on the leaves).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_695\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"544\"]\"Diagram Figure 3:<\/strong> Structure of the chloroplast. Note that the chloroplast is surrounded by a double membrane, but also contains a third set of membranes, which enclose the thylakoids.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nJust like the structure of the mitochondria was important to its ability to perform aerobic cellular respiration, the structure of the chloroplast allows the process of photosynthesis to take place. Both the light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle take place inside the chloroplast.\r\n

References<\/h1>\r\nUnless otherwise noted, images on this page are licensed under CC-BY 4.0<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0OpenStax<\/a>.\r\n\r\nText adapted from: OpenStax<\/span>, Concepts of Biology. OpenStax CNX. May 18, 2016 http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/b3c1e1d2-839c-42b0-a314-e119a8aafbdd@9.10","rendered":"

In plants, photosynthesis takes place primarily in leaves, which consist of many layers of cells and have differentiated top and bottom sides. The process of photosynthesis occurs not on the surface layers of the leaf, but rather in a middle layer called the mesophyll (Figure 1<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

\"Cross-section
Figure 1:<\/strong> Not all cells of a leaf carry out photosynthesis. Cells within the middle layer of a leaf have chloroplasts, which contain the photosynthetic apparatus. (image credit: Zephyris<\/a>; Wikimedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The gas exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen occurs through small, regulated openings called stomata<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Tomato
Figure 2:<\/strong>\u00a0Tomato leaf stomate (singular of stomata). (image credit: Photohound<\/a>; Wikimedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In eukaryotes, photosynthesis takes place inside an organelle called a chloroplast<\/strong>. Some prokaryotes can perform photosynthesis, but they do not contain chloroplasts (or other membrane-bound organelles). In plants, chloroplast-containing cells exist in the mesophyll. Chloroplasts are surrounded by a double membrane similar to the double membrane found within a mitochondrion. Within the chloroplast is a third membrane that forms stacked, disc-shaped structures called thylakoids<\/strong>. Embedded in the thylakoid membrane are molecules of chlorophyll<\/strong>, a pigment (a molecule that absorbs light) through which the entire process of photosynthesis begins. Chlorophyll is responsible for the green color of plants. The thylakoid membrane encloses an internal space called the thylakoid lumen or space. Other types of pigments are also involved in photosynthesis, but chlorophyll is by far the most important. As shown in Figure 3<\/strong>, a stack of thylakoids is called a granum<\/strong>, and the space surrounding the granum is called stroma <\/strong>(not to be confused with stomata, the openings on the leaves).<\/p>\n

\"Diagram
Figure 3:<\/strong> Structure of the chloroplast. Note that the chloroplast is surrounded by a double membrane, but also contains a third set of membranes, which enclose the thylakoids.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just like the structure of the mitochondria was important to its ability to perform aerobic cellular respiration, the structure of the chloroplast allows the process of photosynthesis to take place. Both the light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle take place inside the chloroplast.<\/p>\n

References<\/h1>\n

Unless otherwise noted, images on this page are licensed under CC-BY 4.0<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0OpenStax<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Text adapted from: OpenStax<\/span>, Concepts of Biology. OpenStax CNX. May 18, 2016 http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/b3c1e1d2-839c-42b0-a314-e119a8aafbdd@9.10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["lisa-bartee-8iamvryfkq","shriner-waiter-s570sonk1t","catherine-creech-qsectufgaw"],"pb_section_license":"cc-by"},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[85,83,84],"license":[53],"class_list":["post-696","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-catherine-creech-qsectufgaw","contributor-lisa-bartee-8iamvryfkq","contributor-shriner-waiter-s570sonk1t","license-cc-by"],"part":687,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1183,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/696\/revisions\/1183"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/687"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/696\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=696"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=696"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/bio1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}