FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED MICROSPECTROSCOPY OF ANATOMICALLY DIFFERENT CELLS OF FLAX (LINUM-USITATISSIMUM) STEMS DURING DEVELOPMENT

FT-IR microspectroscopy was used to study the changes in cell wall str ucture of four anatomically different cells of flax (Linum usitatissim um) stems during growth. The cell types were xylem, fiber, epidermal, and gland, a specialized epidermal cell. FT-IR spectra suggested that xylem growth from 5 to 20 days was accompanied by de-esterification of pectin and an increse in lignification. The principal feature in the spectra of the fiber cell walls was the predominance of cellulose abso rbances at 7-20 days. Associated with these were acetyl absorbances wh ich suggest the presence of acetylated glucomannan and/or xylan. The s pectra of both the epidermal and gland cell walls contained suberin/cu tin and protein absorbances. Epidermal development produced increased suberin/cutin deposition, while gland cell wall development was accomp anied by protein accretion.