A MICROPIPETTE METHOD FOR COLLECTING VACUOLAR SAP OF INTACT TANNIN AND PARENCHYMA CELLS IN PERSIMMON

A method for collecting the vacuolar contents of intact tannin and par enchyma cells of persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit using a micro pipette mas developed, Thin sections of the mesocarp tissue from matur e persimmon fruit, 'Miyazaki-mukaku' and 'Hiratanenashi', mere placed on a glass slide, Using a micromanipulator and an inverted microscope, a micropipette mas inserted into a vacuole and its contents were with drawn. A 5-nL sample of vacuole sap was collected per tannin cell from 'Hiratanenashi' and 7 nL from 'Miyazaki-mukaku', whereas only 2 nL wa s withdrawn from adjacent parenchyma cells, Analyses of the vacuolar s ap revealed that the tannin cells of both cultivars contained 10% to 1 2% (m/v) of tannin as (+)-catechin equivalents and 10% to 13% (m/v) of soluble sugars, whereas the parenchyma cells contained trace amounts of tannins and approximate to 20% of soluble sugars, Tannin cells cont ain only a slight amount of sucrose, in contrast to a relatively large amount in parenchyma cells.