Onion epidermal cell Onion epidermal cell The epidermal cells of onions provide a protective layer against viruses and fungi that may harm the sensitive tissues. Because of their simple structure and transparency they are often used to introduce students to plant anatomy or to demonstrate plasmolysis. The clear epidermal cells exist in a single layer and do not contain chloroplasts, because the onion fruiting body (bulb) is used for storing energy, not photosynthesis. Each plant cell has a cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, and a large vacuole. The nucleus is present at the periphery of the cytoplasm. The vacuole is prominent and
Biohybrid solar cell Biohybrid solar cell A biohybrid solar cell is a solar cell made using a combination of organic matter (photosystem I) and inorganic matter. Biohybrid solar cells have been made by a team of researchers at Vanderbilt University. The team used the photosystem I (a photoactive protein complex located in the thylakoid membrane) to recreate the natural process of photosynthesis to obtain a greater efficiency in solar energy conversion. These biohybrid solar cells are a new type of renewable energy. Multiple layers of photosystem I gather photonic energy, convert it into chemical energy and create a current that goes through the