Pollen fossilized in amber with organic cell contents.

Pollen fossilized in amber with organic cell contents, The cell contents ar e still present inside almost every fossil pollen grain embedded in amber o f two different origins (Lower Eocene amber from Paris Basin, Tertiary Balt ic amber): they are here described after the observation of numerous extrac ted grains. Some structures are identified, among which probably the nucleu s. Because of their confining in this very peculiar fossilization medium, t he cell contents were not permineralized but remained somewhat close to the original organic condition, hence offering a field of research about fossi l intracellular structure and palaeo-biochemistry, some organic molecules r emaining potentially preserved. (C) 2001 Academie des sciences / Editions s cientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.