CHLOROPLAST

Size and Shape:

• An approximate width of 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm and an approximate length of 5.0 mm to 10.0 mm.
• Have a lens shape
  

Location:

• Located in the cytoplasm of plant cells only
• Can be found in the mesophyll cells of leaves
  

Function:

Chloroplasts contain the light-sensitive pigments, including the most common, chlorophyll. Because this green chlorophyll is located within the organelle, it is the site for photosynthesis. The energy-transducing machinery of this organelle is located within an inner membrane, much like that of the mitochondria. The membrane is arranged in flattened membranous sacs, known as thylakoids, which then form stacks, known as grana. The space within the thylakoids is referred to as the lumen. The stroma is defined as the space outside the thylakoid. Located in the stroma, are the essential proteins for photosynthesis, or the production of carbohydrates.

Related Organelles: Mitochondria