Parenchymal (Ground) Tissues: Transport of Assimilates. Anime-Comic for Pharmaceutical Botany
We present a series of three educational botanical comics designed for comprehensive study in Pharmaceutical Botany. Our focus is now on Parenchymal (Ground) Tissues, specifically Storage Parenchyma. This series integrates rigorous scientific theory with unique botanical humoresques in the tradition of Pavlo Glazovyi, ensuring both academic depth and an engaging learning experience!
Welcome to the opening chapter –
“The Beginning of the Saga and Starch Deposits!“
Welcome to the opening chapter –
“The Beginning of the Saga and Starch Deposits!“
Storage Parenchyma: From the ‘Production Hall’ in the Leaf to the Secure Vaults of Amyloplasts
In this issue, we trace the remarkable transformation of solar energy into the plant’s tangible energy reserves. Our protagonist – the Starch Elf – captures the first rays of light to embark on a journey from assimilation starch within chloroplasts to transitory starch, preparing for long-distance translocation. While we briefly review the mechanisms of phloem function, our primary focus remains on how sunlight is ultimately secured within the robust vaults of storage parenchyma.
How the Starch Travelled
The sun shines bright above the leaf, the chloroplasts grow warm,
The Starch Elf stretches out his arms, escaping sleep’s soft charm:
“I’ll tuck this first bright golden ray into my pocket deep,
For without light, the chlorenchyma’s business goes to sleep!”
He drinks the photons up with joy, “Assimilation” now is he,
Sitting proud within the leaf, as snug as one can be.
But as the sun begins to set, the Elf begins to sway:
“In mesophyll I shall not sit, I must be on my way!”
He turns to “Transitory” form, shedding weight with haste,
For on the Phloem Express, no bulky space is waste!
There sieve tubes wait in long, straight lines – a queue before the gate,
While companion cells give him a push: “Move on! Don’t make us wait!”
Our “Transit” flows with noble pride, down through the stem he flies,
Deep within the silent roots, his future shelter lies.
The root is reached! He knocks and calls: “Open up the door!
I’ve brought the sunlight in my bag to keep us through the winter’s hoar!”
The Starch Elf stretches out his arms, escaping sleep’s soft charm:
“I’ll tuck this first bright golden ray into my pocket deep,
For without light, the chlorenchyma’s business goes to sleep!”
He drinks the photons up with joy, “Assimilation” now is he,
Sitting proud within the leaf, as snug as one can be.
But as the sun begins to set, the Elf begins to sway:
“In mesophyll I shall not sit, I must be on my way!”
He turns to “Transitory” form, shedding weight with haste,
For on the Phloem Express, no bulky space is waste!
There sieve tubes wait in long, straight lines – a queue before the gate,
While companion cells give him a push: “Move on! Don’t make us wait!”
Our “Transit” flows with noble pride, down through the stem he flies,
Deep within the silent roots, his future shelter lies.
The root is reached! He knocks and calls: “Open up the door!
I’ve brought the sunlight in my bag to keep us through the winter’s hoar!”
From Photon to Flour: The Secret Adventures of the Starch Elf That Dry Textbooks Will Never Reveal!
(Synthesis and Adventures of Primary Starch)
Where exactly does the magic happen? Every tree is a majestic laboratory of nature. Look into the canopy! Here, thousands of leaves are ready for action – beneath the protective ‘roof’ of the epidermis, work is in full swing. The primary goal is to convert ‘sunbeams’ into tangible ‘nutritional’ assets. 
This is a giant biochemical plant powered by solar fuel.
[Top Section Captions (In one row, left to right)]:
Left side (above the leaves): Caption: “SYNTHESIS AND ACCUMULATION (CREATION)“
Right side (above the fruits/crown): Caption: “ACTION AND TRANSFORMATION (LIFE)“
[Left Section Captions (Inside the ‘Creation’ block, top to bottom)]:
Near the leaf icon: Caption: “Leaves“
Inside the chloroplast diagram: Caption: “Photosynthesis: Sun + CO₂ + H₂O → Glucose → Primary Starch“
Near the stem (vascular tissue): Caption: “Phloem (SUGAR/ENERGY)“
Near the root system: Caption: “Roots. Accumulation: Energy for the future“
[Right Section Captions (Inside the ‘Life’ block, top to bottom)]:
Near the fruits: Caption: “Fruits“
Near the growing shoot: Caption: “Growth: Energy for today“
Central right part (near the swirling energy): Caption: “ACTION AND TRANSFORMATION (LIFE)“
Below, near the germinating seed: Caption: “Transformation: Energy for a new start“
[Bottom Right Icons (Enzymes)]:
Above the green character: Caption: “STARCH-MOBILIZING ENZYMES“
At the very bottom: Caption: “HYDROLYTIC ENZYMES“
Stepan Lohistovych – Chief of Plant Logistics and Distribution. An expert in the translocation of organic substances, he ensures that every photon captured in the leaf is efficiently converted into energy and delivered to the plant’s “vaults.” He invites: “Welcome to the ‘Green Manufactory‘ – inside the leaf!”
Stepan Lohistovych explains: “Let’s peer inside the chloroplast. Here is the ‘holy of holies’ of photosynthesis, where sunlight transforms into the first sparks of energy. Before the ‘starch gold’ reaches our warehouses and vaults, it must be born somewhere. Look at this cross-section: every layer of cells has its own precise engineering task.”
[Top Section Caption]:
Caption: “Anatomy of the Canopy“
[Bottom Right Caption]:
Caption: “Anatomy of the Canopy: The Leaf (Photosynthesis)“
[Top Section Caption]:
Caption: “Anatomy of the Canopy“
[Bottom Right Caption]:
Caption: “Anatomy of the Canopy: The Leaf (Photosynthesis)“
Meet our starch elf-scout! He has just landed on the leaf surface and is ready for the solar drive. And here it is – the first magic: the elf catches photons and mixes sweet glucose – the primary energy cocktail. 
Stepan Lohistovych explains to the student: “The birth of assimilation starch begins. The first workshop is the palisade chlorenchyma. See these slender rows of cells, resembling columns? These are our main solar panels. They are tightly packed together to catch every single photon. This is where the primary synthesis takes place.” 
Stepan Lohistovych: “We descend further – into the spongy chlorenchyma. Creative chaos reigns here. The cells are rounded, with large gaps – intercellular spaces – between them. Air enriched with CO2 circulates freely, reaching every workstation. The spongy tissue ensures transpiration and gas exchange.”
Student: “Wait, is this a warehouse or a park for air bubbles?”
Stepan Lohistovych: “It’s the ultimate open-space office, where CO2 never has to wait for an elevator!”
Stepan Lohistovych notes: “We are entering the chloroplast. This is the heart of the manufactory. This is where the magic happens: sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide are loaded into the reactor. The pressure in the thylakoids is normal, the light phase is launched! The work is in full swing! The result is the first sparks of energy and glucose molecules. These are our monosaccharides – the plant’s primary currency, which is still too unstable for long journeys.”
Stepan Lohistovych (looking around): “Pressure is stable, thylakoids are charging… Now, where did that student disappear to? Probably went to check if the stomata are open for a coffee break!”
Daily deposit: starch settles in the mesophyll chloroplasts like gold in ‘on-demand’ safes. An inventory check shows that the chloroplasts are packed to the brim with primary starch.
Chloroplast Chef: “Listen, kid, in this business, we don’t just cook glucose. We bank it! Look at these shelves – pure primary starch gold.”
Starch Elf: “Wow! Is it for a long-term investment?”
Chloroplast Chef: “Not this batch. This is a ‘daily account.’ By tonight, we’ll liquidate everything and ship it out!”
Glucose is good, but for logistics, we need sucrose! Here, monosaccharides are stitched into more complex compounds. Sucrose is the ideal ‘export commodity.’ It does not enter into unnecessary reactions during its journey through the trunk.
Stepan Lohistovych: “Gently, carefully! We are not just making sugar; we are minting the plant’s golden currency. Sucrose is our stable ‘traveler’ – it won’t get distracted by side reactions on its way to the roots.”
Student: “So, glucose was just a ‘local’ currency, and now we’re converting it for international trade?”
Stepan Lohistovych: “Exactly! You can’t send a unstable raw material across the whole organism. Logistics requires stability!”
The sun has set, but the work continues. The elf begins the grand nighttime reorganization of assimilates. Time for transformation! Assimilation starch breaks down, becoming mobile and easy to move. Welcome, transitory starch! Now we are ready for the great journey along the vascular bundles of the stem.
Starch Elf (glowing): “Alright, Chief! I’ve broken down the heavy ‘gold bars’ of primary starch. I am now officially light, mobile, and ready to roll as transitory starch!”
Chief Leaf (pointing to the piles): “Excellent timing, kid. The floem express leaves in ten minutes. If we don’t convert these ‘daily deposits’ into liquid transport assets by morning, the roots will file a grievance with the Logistics Department!”
Starch Elf (glowing): “Alright, Chief! I’ve broken down the heavy ‘gold bars’ of primary starch. I am now officially light, mobile, and ready to roll as transitory starch!”
Chief Leaf (pointing to the piles): “Excellent timing, kid. The floem express leaves in ten minutes. If we don’t convert these ‘daily deposits’ into liquid transport assets by morning, the roots will file a grievance with the Logistics Department!”
The elf-expeditor packs his suitcases with transitory starch and heads to the logistics hub – the phloem.
[Top Left Caption on the Panel]:
Caption: “Anatomy of the trunk: Phloem (downward transport)“
Starch Elf: “Suitcases packed, energy levels high! Phloem platform, here I come!”
Scientist (with a wand): “Clear the way! The night express is carrying vital cargo to the roots. Precision is key!”
[Top Left Caption on the Panel]:
Caption: “Anatomy of the trunk: Phloem (downward transport)“
Starch Elf: “Suitcases packed, energy levels high! Phloem platform, here I come!”
Scientist (with a wand): “Clear the way! The night express is carrying vital cargo to the roots. Precision is key!”
A closer look: the phloem sieve tubes are already waiting for our ‘solar landing party.’ It is important to note: these tubes are living cells, but they are enucleated in their mature state! This is a key detail for understanding plant physiology.
Student (muttering to herself): “Okay, concentrate… sieve tubes… living cells… but wait, where’s the nucleus? Ah, right! They lose it to make room for the ‘cargo.’ If only my brain could clear out some space for this exam as efficiently as these cells do for sucrose!”
Phloem Logistics: Companion cells check tickets and push our starch downstream. The companion cell has a large nucleus and lots of mitochondria. Companion cells provide sucrose loading and keep their non-nucleated neighbors alive.”
Companion cell (energetically): “Welcome to the loading zone, honey! My friend, the sieve tube, may do the heavy lifting, but I have the mitochondria and the “brains” to keep this engine running. So, we are the brains and the energy for the sieve tubes. No energy from me, no transport for you!”
Student (taking notes): “So, you’re basically a portable battery and GPS for the entire phloem express?”
Companion cell: “That’s right! I provide active transport, and she provides the highway. Teamwork makes the starch work!”
Expedite delivery of assimilates. The speed is impressive – we fly through the stem in a matter of seconds. (Note: The Mermaid is a fictional comic character representing the fluid force of the phloem flow).”
Sucrose Star (holding tight): “Whoa! Slow down, Sea Queen! Are we still in the phloem or did we accidentally jump into a hyperdrive? My glucose rings are starting to feel a bit dizzy!”
Phloem Mermaid: “Just relax, little star! I’m just the spirit of the downward flow. If we don’t maintain this velocity, gravity and that bossy Logistics Guy will not be happy!”
Transitory starch rushes through the tunnels of vascular tissues to where it is dark and deep.
Student (into walkie-talkie): “Chief, do you copy? This is ‘Student-1’. The transitory starch has successfully passed the main trunk junction. The conveyor is running at full capacity. We are heading into the deep zone. Over!”
Stepan Lohistovych (voice from the radio): “Copy that, ‘Student-1’. Keep an eye on the pressure. We can’t have a bottleneck before we reach the storage roots. Good job staying on the line. Over!”
The stem is left behind; ahead lies the mystery of the underground world and the empty safes of the root.
[Text on the Left Side of the Panel]:
Caption: “Root anatomy: Accumulation“
Label 1: Text: “Zea mays“
Label 2: Text: “Phaseolus vulgaris“
Student (into walkie-talkie): “Stepan Lohistovych, we’ve crossed the ‘soil line.’ It’s dark down here, but I can see the storage parenchyma cells. The safes are open and waiting for the deposit!”
Stepan Lohistovych (voice from radio): “Excellent. This is where our transitory starch becomes a long-term investment. Start the conversion process. Welcome to the root system, Student-1!”
[Text on the Left Side of the Panel]:
Caption: “Root anatomy: Accumulation“
Label 1: Text: “Zea mays“
Label 2: Text: “Phaseolus vulgaris“
Student (into walkie-talkie): “Stepan Lohistovych, we’ve crossed the ‘soil line.’ It’s dark down here, but I can see the storage parenchyma cells. The safes are open and waiting for the deposit!”
Stepan Lohistovych (voice from radio): “Excellent. This is where our transitory starch becomes a long-term investment. Start the conversion process. Welcome to the root system, Student-1!”
The elf is on the threshold of the storage parenchyma of the root. The sun’s energy from the leaf has finally been delivered! But what happens next… we’ll see in the next episode!
[Central Top Heading]:
Caption: “STORAGE PARENCHYMA“
[Right Side – Signboard on the building]:
Caption: “WAREHOUSE NO. 1 (STARCH-PROTEIN EXCHANGE)“
[Left Side – Speech Bubble from the small green character]:
Caption: “Glucose from the Phloem has arrived! Processing and storing!“
[Floor Markers – Blue Sector]:
Caption: “STARCH SECTOR“
[Floor Markers – Red Sector]:
Caption: “PROTEIN SECTOR“
Chloroplast Manager (with a headset): “Target reached! All units, begin the secondary starch synthesis. We’ve converted the solar light into solid assets. Great shift, everyone! Now, let’s lock those safes before the next growth spurt demands a withdrawal!”
[Central Top Heading]:
Caption: “STORAGE PARENCHYMA“
[Right Side – Signboard on the building]:
Caption: “WAREHOUSE NO. 1 (STARCH-PROTEIN EXCHANGE)“
[Left Side – Speech Bubble from the small green character]:
Caption: “Glucose from the Phloem has arrived! Processing and storing!“
[Floor Markers – Blue Sector]:
Caption: “STARCH SECTOR“
[Floor Markers – Red Sector]:
Caption: “PROTEIN SECTOR“
Chloroplast Manager (with a headset): “Target reached! All units, begin the secondary starch synthesis. We’ve converted the solar light into solid assets. Great shift, everyone! Now, let’s lock those safes before the next growth spurt demands a withdrawal!”
The Elf, the Sun, and the Great Logistics (Part 1 Summary)
The Sun is shining – a giant so kind, with gold it always glows,
It shoots its rays like sharpened darts, where’er the green leaf grows.
And there our Elf – a plucky lad, in a cap of hops so bright,
Is catching beams in chloroplasts, like trout in morning light!
The master of mesophyll is he, he knows each cell by name,
He weaves the “assimilate” like silk, a master of the game.
He packs the sun in starch-filled bags, in jars of emerald hue,
So not a single golden word is lost in morning dew.
But as the evening shadows fall – the Elf is on the go,
The starch is now “transitory,” with a light and mobile flow!
The Phloem Express has just arrived, the tubes begin to hiss,
The sieve-plate doors are open wide – a chance they cannot miss.
It shoots its rays like sharpened darts, where’er the green leaf grows.
And there our Elf – a plucky lad, in a cap of hops so bright,
Is catching beams in chloroplasts, like trout in morning light!
The master of mesophyll is he, he knows each cell by name,
He weaves the “assimilate” like silk, a master of the game.
He packs the sun in starch-filled bags, in jars of emerald hue,
So not a single golden word is lost in morning dew.
But as the evening shadows fall – the Elf is on the go,
The starch is now “transitory,” with a light and mobile flow!
The Phloem Express has just arrived, the tubes begin to hiss,
The sieve-plate doors are open wide – a chance they cannot miss.
The companion cells are conductors now! They nudge him with a shout:
“Move faster, dear! Be quick and smart! That’s what it’s all about!”
The downward flow has caught them up – like a bullet through the stem,
The Starch is flying, while the Moon is winking back at them.
Arrived at last! It’s dark and deep. Down in the heavy clay,
The underworld is breathing soft, where hidden secrets lay.
The Elf has dropped his heavy bags, and wiped his tired brow:
“We’ve brought the sun down to the root! We’ve made it here, somehow!”
But what comes next? Who’s waiting there, within the shadows dim?
How will the starch be stored in vaults, right to the very brim?
The second series waits for you – with heroes brave and new,
So, learning of the amyloplasts stays fun and clear for you!
“Move faster, dear! Be quick and smart! That’s what it’s all about!”
The downward flow has caught them up – like a bullet through the stem,
The Starch is flying, while the Moon is winking back at them.
Arrived at last! It’s dark and deep. Down in the heavy clay,
The underworld is breathing soft, where hidden secrets lay.
The Elf has dropped his heavy bags, and wiped his tired brow:
“We’ve brought the sun down to the root! We’ve made it here, somehow!”
But what comes next? Who’s waiting there, within the shadows dim?
How will the starch be stored in vaults, right to the very brim?
The second series waits for you – with heroes brave and new,
So, learning of the amyloplasts stays fun and clear for you!
🎭 The Moral of the Humoresque:
While the Sun sends its energy, generous and bright,
The Elf-expeditor drives the transit through the phloem all night.
He delivered it to the root – his great mission is through,
And next… a wise, underground face is waiting for you!
While the Sun sends its energy, generous and bright,
The Elf-expeditor drives the transit through the phloem all night.
He delivered it to the root – his great mission is through,
And next… a wise, underground face is waiting for you!