What are palisade cells?
Palisade cells are cells that are found in the mesophyll layer of the dicotyledonous plants especially within the leaves. The mesophyll layer is called the middle layer as it is present between the upper and lower layers of epidermis. Palisade cells have chloroplasts, the organelles present in plant cells capable of converting light into energy in the form of Adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP). Structurally, palisade cells are cylindrical and elongated in shape in order for light to be captured and absorbed by chloroplasts. That is the reason why palisade cells are placed at upper layer of the leaf to allow maximum conversion of light into energy. In addition, this is the reason why the upper layers of the leaf are greener than the lower regions. Additionally, these cells contain more carbohydrates than compared to other cells that are then utilized by other cells for metabolic activities.
