The Granum
The granum is defined as a, ‘sight for photosynthesis within a chloroplast.’ The lifeblood of a plant is connected to photosynthesis; this is what converts sunlight into food for plants.
Photosynthesis requires chloroplasts and chloroplasts needs granum. There is a highly sophisticated and methodological system present within the world of a chloroplast and this is why the granum is a site of intrigue and wonder.
Chloroplasts are microorganisms and they form part of a cell. Within a cell there are many microorganisms workings together, and each component has an internal collection of systems, integral to cell’s overall functioning. An analogy is: a cell is a house; a microorganism is a room in the house; and the components of a microorganism form the furniture. Following this analogy of house politic the granum functions as a kitchen.
The granum is made up of discs and each discs is called a thylakoid. A good way to remember this is to imagine a shiny new one pound coin reflecting light. There are stacks of one pound coins that form a granum. The granum absorbs, circulates and stores light constantly, in order to produce energy required for a plant to grow. This is possible because every granum is made of a special membrane that allows light reactions to take place.
The light reactions are designed to travel across one granum to another, therefore preventing a circulation of light reactions within one granum. The connection between every granum is called a lamellae. A good way to remember this to imagine one pound coins, connected by luminous bands of light.
It’s all very illuminating looking at the wealth of reactions within and around a granum but there is also the importance of the lamellae to consider. The circulation of light is fundamental to the production of food in a plant. Inside a plant’s economy the chloroplast relies on a sharing of resources from one granum to another. This allows a plant to flourish and grow towards towering heights, and to bear fruit or grain.
The paradox of a grain shares many parallels with the process of photosynthesis. The grain as a food source comes from dead land in the winter; in the heart of darkness and death, beneath the soil, life germinates. Inside a granum there is a world of reactions and components that require a coherent narrative in order to be grasped with ease. In order for students to appreciate the fascinating world within a plant. A world where it is possible understand how life can sprout from dead earth; bringing a variety of energy light and life, within and around a plant.