1. Plural of dictyosome; stacked, flattened membranous sacs in plant cells that function in the synthesis and packaging of polysaccharides and other molecules.
Usage: biology; cell biology; technical term; primarily used in plant cell studies

Examples

• Plant cells contain numerous dictyosomes that process and package cell wall materials.
• The dictyosomes in the root tip cells are particularly active during cell wall synthesis.
• Under the electron microscope, dictyosomes appear as stacks of flattened cisternae.
• Dictyosomes are the plant cell equivalent of the Golgi apparatus found in animal cells.
• The number and activity of dictyosomes increase during periods of rapid cell growth.