Leucoplasts

Plastids are organelles that play a role in the production and storage of nutrients. They can be found in the cells of photosynthetic eukaryotes, which means they are photosynthesis-dependent. Plastids can differentiate into the following types of cells in plants: (1) chloroplasts, (2) chromoplasts, (3) gerontoplasts, and (4) leucoplasts. It is possible for certain plastids to differentiate between different forms. A good example of this is the re-differentiation of chloroplasts and chromoplasts that occurs during the ripening of a fruit.

Plastids

Plastids are membrane-bound organelles found in the cells of plants, algae, and some other eukaryotic organisms, and they are responsible for photosynthesis. They are classified as endosymbiotic cyanobacteria that live within the cells of other organisms. Chloroplasts (which are responsible for photosynthesis), chromoplasts (which are responsible for pigment synthesis and storage), and leucoplasts are just a few examples (non-pigmented plastids that can sometimes differentiate).

Chloroplasts, which are plastids that contain chlorophyll and are found in land plants, are responsible for the photosynthesis process. Aside from that, plastids can store products such as starch and synthesise compounds such as fatty acids and terpenes, which can be used for energy production and as building blocks for the production of other molecules.

Leucoplasts

Leucoplasts are plastids that are colourless or non-pigmented. Instead of chloroplasts, which contain chlorophyll (the green pigment), and chromoplasts, which contain other photosynthetic pigments, leucoplasts are devoid of photosynthetic pigments. Leucoplasts are typically found in non-photosynthetic plant tissues, such as roots, seeds, and other organs that do not produce oxygen. They are involved in a wide range of biosynthetic processes. One of their primary functions is to serve as a storage facility.

In addition, leucoplasts can be classified according to what they store.

(1) Amyloplasts are a type of fibroblast (store starch),

(2) elaioplasts (fat-storing cells), or

(3) Proteinoplasts  (store proteins).

An extremely specific type of leucoplast known as a tannosome, this leucoplast is critical in the synthesis and manufacture of tannins and polyphenols. Some leucoplasts are involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, some amino acids, and tetrapyrrole compounds, in addition to storing them.

Leucoplasts are a type of plastid and, as such, are organelles that can be found in the cells of plants. They are not pigmented, in contrast to other plastids such as the chloroplast, which are pigmented. Leucoplasts, which lack photosynthetic pigments, are not green and are found in non-photosynthetic tissues of plants, such as roots, bulbs, and seeds, because they lack photosynthetic pigments

Types of Leucoplast

Amyloplasts, elaioplasts, and proteinoplasts (also known as aleuroplasts) are the names given to cells that are specialised for bulk storage of starch, lipid, or protein, respectively. 

Lecuoplast functions 

leucoplasts do not serve as a primary storage organelle, but rather perform a wide range of vital biosynthetic functions, such as the synthesis of fatty acids such as palmitic acid and many amino acids, as well as the synthesis of tripyrrole compounds such as heme. 

Leucoplast Structure/Morphology

Leucoplasts have a variable morphology and are much smaller in size than chloroplasts. They are often referred to as amoeboids because of their small size. Large networks of stromules connecting leucoplasts have been observed in epidermal cells of tobacco roots, hypocotyls, and petals as well as in callus and suspension culture cells, indicating that these networks are widespread. At certain stages of development, leucoplasts are found clustered around the nucleus of some cell types, with stromules extending to the cell periphery, as was observed for proplastids in the root meristem.

It is possible that etioplasts are pre-granal, immature chloroplasts, but they can also be chloroplasts that have been deprived of light, in which case they are classified as leucoplasts because they lack active pigment. After a few minutes of exposure to light, etioplasts begin to function as chloroplasts and cease to be leucoplasts. This transformation takes several minutes. Amyloplasts are large and have the ability to store starch. Proteinoplasts, which are found in seeds, are structures that store proteins (pulses). Elaioplasts are fat and oil storage cells that are found in seeds. They are also referred to as oleosomes.

Conclusion

Roots, tubers, and seeds, for example, contain leucoplasts, a group of plastids that includes many differentiated colourless organelles with very different functions (for example, the amyloplasts), which act as a starch store in non-green tissues such as roots, tubers, and seeds. Plastids are essential subcellular organelles in plants that have evolved to perform specialised functions in the cells, such as photosynthesis and the production and storage of metabolites. Plastids are found in all higher plants and are found in all higher animals. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with its own set of characteristics that enable them to function in a diverse range of organ/tissue/cell-specific developmental processes, as well as in response to a variety of environmental signals. We have provided a comprehensive review of the distinct roles of plastids and their transition statuses, as determined by their characteristics, in this paper.