Interferometric Analysis of Nuclear Pycnosis in Injured Epidermal Cells of Allium cepa

Abstract

Cutting and removal of onion bulb scale epidermis injured those cells at and near the cut margin, as evidenced by rapid nuclear pycnosis. Quantitative interferometry revealed that pycnotic nuclei were 41.3% of normal in nuclear area (x. s.), 133.3% of normal in dry mass per unit area, and 51.5% of normal in nuclear dry mass.