What are Chloroplasts?

Chloroplasts are organelles containing photosynthetic pigments that absorb sunlight and convert
it into useful energy, releasing oxygen from water. Chloroplasts are found in all green plants and
algae. They are food producers of plants. They are found in mesenchymal cells located in plant
leaves. They contain high levels of chlorophyll which has the ability to absorb sunlight. This
cellular organelle is not present in animal cells.

Chloroplasts have their own exonuclear DNA and are therefore semi-autonomous, like
mitochondria. They also produce proteins and lipids necessary for the production of chloroplast
membranes.
Structure of Chloroplasts
The chloroplast diagram below represents the chloroplast structure.

Chloroplasts are found in all higher plants. It is oval or biconvex in shape and is found in the
mesophyll of plant cells. They are double-membrane organelles with the presence of outer, inner
and intermembrane spaces. There are two distinct regions present inside the chloroplast called
grana and stroma.
 ● Grana are made up of disc-shaped structures called thylakoids or lamellae. The grana of
chloroplasts are made up of chlorophyll pigments and form the functional units of
chloroplasts.
● Stroma is the homogeneous matrix containing grana and is similar to the cytoplasm of
cells in which all organelles are embedded. Stroma also contains a variety of enzymes,
DNA, ribosomes and other substances. Stroma lamellae function by connecting thylakoid
stacks or grana vesicles.

The chloroplast structure includes the following parts:

Membrane shell
It consists of an inner and outer lipid double membrane. The inner membrane separates
the matrix from the intermembrane space.

Intermembrane space
The space between the inner and outer membranes.

Thylakoid system “Lamellae”

The system is suspended in the stroma. It is a collection of membrane sacs called
thylakoids or lamellae. Green pigments called chlorophyll are found in the thylakoid
membrane. This is a view of the light-dependent reaction process of photosynthesis. The
thylakoids are arranged in stacks called grana, and each grana contains about 10 to 20
thylakoids.

Stroma
It is a colorless, alkaline, aqueous, protein-rich liquid found in the inner membrane of the
chloroplast surrounding the grana.

Grana
The stacking of thin sheets in the plastid is called grana. This is where light energy is
converted into chemical energy.

Chlorophyll
It is a green photosynthetic pigment that contributes to photosynthesis.

Functions of Chloroplasts
Below are the important functions of chloroplasts:

1. The most important function of chloroplasts is to synthesize food through photosynthesis.

2. Absorb light energy and convert it into chemical energy.
3. Chloroplasts have a structure called chlorophyll that traps solar energy and is used to
synthesize food in all green plants.
4. Production of NADPH and molecular oxygen (O2) by photolysis of water.
5. Production of ATP – Adenosine triphosphate by photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
obtained from the air is used to produce carbon and sugars in the Calvin cycle or dark
reaction of photosynthesis.