Abstract
In this review, the history of researches on the plant Golgi apparatus and a part of the author's studies on Golgi apparatus using unicellular green algae and its reproduction during mitosis are presented. In plant cells, Golgi bodies (a stack consisting with 5-15 flat cisternae with 1-3μm in diameter) are distributed over the cytoplasm. They drastically change in structures and enzyme activities during cell cycle. The architecture, the distribution pattern in cells and the reproduction manner of Gogli apparatus are quite different between animal (mammalian) and plant cells. In mammalian cells, many stacks link together and form a single large complex, which is usually located near the cell nucleus. It disassembles at the onset of mitosis. In contrast, in plant cells, Golgi bodies divide into two before prophase of mitosis and do not fragment during mitosis. Our research data show that this difference is not related to cell wall formation, occurred only in plant cells, nor architecture of Golgi apparatus.
