Whats the difference between thylakoids and grana
Answers
Grana and thylakoid are two structures in chloroplasts of plants. Chloroplasts are the organelles involved in the photosynthesis of plants. During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water are used to produce the simple sugar, glucose. The energy for the process is given by sunlight. This energy from sunlight is captured by special pigments called chlorophylls. Chlorophylls are found in the thylakoid membrane. Thylakoid is formed by enclosing of the thylakoid lumen from thylakoid membrane. Grana are found in the stroma of the chloroplast, which is connected by stroma thylakoids. The main difference between grana and thylakoid is that grana are the stacks of thylakoids whereas thylakoid is a membrane-bound compartment which is found in chloroplast.
Grana vs Thylakoid
Grana are the organized stacks of disk shaped membranous structures known as thylakoids located in the stroma and involved in light dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Thylakoids are the individual membranous disks containing chlorophyll located in the stroma, responsible for light dependent reactions of photosynthesis.
Microscopic Nature
Grana can be observed under the light microscope. Thylakoids can be observed under the electron microscope.
Involvement of Lamelle
LamelLamellae join the adjacent grana embedded in the stroma.lae do not join individual adjacent thylakoids.
Surface Area for Photosynthesis
Grana increases the surface area for photosynthesis Individual thylakoids have a lesser surface area for the process of photosynthesis in comparison to the stacked structure grana.