Calcium distribution in globoid crystals of cucurbita cotyledon protein bodies

Energy-dispersive x-ray analysis was used to investigate the location of globoid crystals with relatively high Ca levels within cotyledons of Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita mixta, and Cucurbita andreana. The small globoid crystals in both upper and lower epidermal cells commonly contained Ca. Ca was present in globoid crystals of all provascular regions with the exception of the very small provascular regions of C. maxima. In C. maxima and C. mixta cotyledons, some cases were observed where Ca was found in the globoid crystals of the first layer of mesophyll cells surrounding the provascular region, but in general Ca was absent from globoid crystals of palisade and spongy mesophyll cells. In C. andreana, globoid crystals of palisade and spongy mesophyll cells commonly contained at least some Ca. Cell position and cell type are factors affecting the Ca content of globoid crystals in protein bodies.