Leukoplasts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Membrane-bound organelles in plant cells responsible for storing starches and other substances; they appear as white or colorless plastids involved in energy storage and synthesis processes
2. Structures within plant cells that function to accumulate starch and maintain cellular storage needs; these white plastids play a key role in plant metabolism unrelated to photosynthesis
3. Cellular components found in plants, specialized for storing starch and other nutrients in a non-pigmented form; these plastids serve as sites for the conservation of energy and biochemical compounds within cells

Etymology: Leukoplasts take their name from two Greek words: "leukos", meaning white, and "plastos", meaning formed or molded. The term is a modern scientific coinage built from these classical roots, not a word that ancient Greek writers used for plant structures. The "-plast" element is shared with chloroplasts, which contain green chlorophyll, and with other plastids, the family of organelles that plant cells use for storage and pigment. Leukoplasts are colorless because they contain little or no pigment. Their main job is to store material rather than capture light. Many leukoplasts, such as amyloplasts, gather starch, while others store oils or proteins. The name therefore describes what the organelles look like, not what they do, which is a common pattern in biological vocabulary.

Synonyms: adhesive bandages, plasters