Leucoplasts
Online Biology Dictionary
EUGENE M. MCCARTHY, PHD
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Potato leucoplasts Image: Mnolf Pronunciation: /LOO-kÉ™-plasts/ Alternate spelling: leukoplast Etymology: Greek leucos (white) + Greek plasm (anything formed or shaped). |
Leucoplasts are colorless plastids
found in endosperm, tubers, roots and other non-photosynthetic tissues of plants.
They serve various functions, for example, storage of starch, lipids, or proteins. Plastids of these three types are respectively known as amyloplasts, elaioplasts, and proteinoplasts. A leucoplast may also perform biosynthetic functions such as the synthesis of fatty acids, amino acids, and various other compounds.
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Although they vary in shape, leucoplasts are usually much smaller than a chloroplasts.
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