A laticifer is a type of elongated secretory cell found in the

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

and/or stems of

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae excl ...

s that produce

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...

and

rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...

secondary metabolites Secondary metabolites, also called specialised metabolites, toxins, secondary products, or natural products, are organic compounds produced by any lifeform, e.g. bacteria, fungi, animals, or plants, which are not directly involved in the nor ...

. Laticifers may be divided into: *Articulated laticifers, i.e., composed of a series of cells joined together, or *Non-articulated laticifers, consisting of one long coenocytic cell. Non-articulated laticifers begin their growth from the

meristematic The meristem is a type of tissue found in plants. It consists of undifferentiated cells (meristematic cells) capable of cell division. Cells in the meristem can develop into all the other tissues and organs that occur in plants. These cells conti ...

tissue of the embryo, termed the laticifer initial, and can exhibit continual growth throughout the lifetime of the plant.Rajeswari, B., S. P. Kumar, A. P. Rao, and P. S. S. V. Khan. 2014. A Distribution and ultrastructure of laticifers in the phylloclade of ''Euphorbia caducifolia'' Haines, a potential hydrocarbon yielding CAM plant. American journal of Plant Sciences 5: 70-79. Laticifer tubes have irregularly edged walls and a larger inner diameter than the surrounding

parenchyma Parenchyma () is the bulk of functional substance in an animal organ or structure such as a tumour. In zoology it is the name for the tissue that fills the interior of flatworms. Etymology The term ''parenchyma'' is New Latin from the word � ...

cells. In the development of the cell, elongation occurs via

karyokinesis In cell biology, mitosis () is a part of the cell cycle in which replicated chromosomes are separated into two new nuclei. Cell division by mitosis gives rise to genetically identical cells in which the total number of chromosomes is maintai ...

and no cell plate develops resulting in coenocytic cells which extend throughout the plant. These cells can reach up to tens of centimeters long and can be branched or unbranched. They are thought to have a role in wound healing and as defense against herbivory, as well as pathogen defense, and are often used for

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

. Laticifers were first described by

Anton de Bary Heinrich Anton de Bary (26 January 183119 January 1888) was a German surgeon, botanist, microbiologist, and mycologist (fungal systematics and physiology). He is considered a founding father of plant pathology (phytopathology) as well as the fou ...

in 1877. Laticifers are highly specialized cells which can produce a wide variety of proteins.de Freitas, C. D. T., D. P. de Souza, E. S. Araújo, M. G. Cavalheiro, L. S. Oliveira, and M. V. Ramos. 2010. Anti-oxidative and proteolytic activities and protein profile of laticifer cells of ''Cryptostegia grandiflora'', ''Plumeria rubra'' and ''Euphorbia tirucalli''. Brazilian Society of Plant Physiology 22: 11-22. These proteins include enzymes functioning as proteinases and

chitinase Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14, chitodextrinase, 1,4-β-poly-N-acetylglucosaminidase, poly-β-glucosaminidase, β-1,4-poly-N-acetyl glucosamidinase, poly ,4-(N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide)glycanohydrolase, (1→4)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-D-glucan glycano ...

s which help defend the producing plant against insects and other herbivores. In one study it was found that the presence and concentration of some proteins can differ greatly within the genus ''Croton'' relative to three species studied.

Cell Turgor

Pressurized flow of latex has been studied in multiple ''Asclepias'' species as a form of defense in addition to the secondary metabolites stored in the latex. In order to augment the defense of the plant some non-articulated laticifer cells contain highly pressurized stores of latex. It has been noted that pressure may be produced by the osmotic uptake of water into the laticifer cell resulting in a turgid cell. When pierced the cell bursts and latex travels quickly through the canal system to stop the herbivore. A desert species, ''Bursera schlechtendalii'', pressurizes the canals right where leaves attach to the stem so that when a grazer eats a leaf latex shoots out. This process is termed the “squirt gun” defense.Becerra, J. X., and D. L. Venable. 1990. Rapid-terpene-bath and "squirt-gun" defense in ''Bursera schlechtendalii'' and the counterploy of chrysomelid beetles. Biotropica 22: 320-323.

References

{{Reflist *Taiz and Zeiger. 1998. ''Plant Physiology'' Sinauer *Mahlberg P. G. 1993. Laticifers - an historical perspective. ''Botanical Review'' 59: 1-23 Plant anatomy