Fig. 1

Developmental analysis reveals stages of cell and chloroplast differentiation. a, b Image of leaf sampling, showing the biological material used as sample 1 (a, shoot apex, 6-day-old) and 2–14, from 6-day-old, and 15, from 14-day-old leaf 1 (b). Scale bars: 100 μm (a), 5 mm for seed image and 10 mm for leaf dissection image (b). Cross marks indicate excluded sections. M: meristem. P1-P3: plastochron stages 1-3. c Experimental strategy. Parallel replicates were used for quantitative differential interference contrast microscopy, flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle, simultaneous DNA and RNA isolation and protein extraction. d Individual cellular morphologies of mesophyll cells, representative of each sample, visualizing cellular expansion following proliferation, increasing plastid number, acquisition of lobed cell morphology and filling of the available cellular space by expanding, green chloroplasts. Scale bar: 25 μm