The structure of plant slimes

Abstract Several slimes have been investigated with the electron microscope. With one exception ( Linum ) their cellulose has the same microfibrillar form that has been found in cell walls. These microfibrils are separately suspended in the polyuronic acids as an amorphous ground substance; they are increasingly dispersed as the swelling proceeds. Short particles occur in linseed ( Linum ) slime. These show a marked tendency to become attached together in chains when the ground substance is dissolved away. This is a “true” slime which does not give the usual chemical tests for cellulose; it is therefore not clear if these short particles should be classed as cellulose; the previous supposition that mixed cellulosepolyuronide molecules exist is not confirmed by the electron microscopic observations.