mesophyll

American  

[mez-uh-fil, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh-] / ˈmɛz ə fɪl, ˈmɛs-, ˈmi zə-, -sə- /

noun

Botany.

1. the parenchyma, usually containing chlorophyll, that forms the interior parts of a leaf.

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mesophyll British  

/ ˈmɛsəʊˌfɪl /

noun

1. the soft chlorophyll-containing tissue of a leaf between the upper and lower layers of epidermis: involved in photosynthesis

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mesophyll Scientific  

/ mĕz′ə-fĭl′ /

1. The tissues of a leaf that are located in between the layers of epidermis and carry on photosynthesis, consisting of the palisade layer and the spongy parenchyma. Most mesophyll cells contain chloroplasts.

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Other Word Forms

• mesophyllic adjective
• mesophyllous adjective

Etymology

Origin of mesophyll

First recorded in 1830–40; meso- + -phyll

Example Sentences

While previous methods were too imprecise to distinguish neighboring cells like mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, single-cell genomics allowed the team to investigate the genetic and structural changes in each cell type from both plants.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2024

C4 plants recruit bundle sheath cells, which normally serve as leaf vein support, to photosynthesize alongside mesophyll cells.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2024

Other characteristic features of the SIET4 mutants were diminished roots and shoots, abnormal Si deposition in leaf mesophyll cells, and the induction of many stress response genes.

From Science Daily • Nov. 8, 2023

Initial carbon fixation takes place in mesophyll cells and the Calvin cycle takes place in bundle-sheath cells.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

When the section passed through the whitish dots, the grains of chlorophyll were seen to be more or less discoloured, and some of the palisade and mesophyll cells contained nothing but broken down granular matter.

From The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms, with observations on their habits by Darwin, Charles