Where do the light-dependent reactions take place in chloroplasts?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Diagram of a tree leaf illustrating photosynthesis, with arrows showing sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide entering the leaf and sugars and oxygen being produced. A person is shown beside the tree to demonstrate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between plants and animals. — photosynthesis Diagram of photosynthesis showing how water, light, and carbon dioxide are absorbed by a plant to produce oxygen, sugars, and more carbon dioxide.

The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis take place exclusively within the thylakoids of the chloroplast.12

These reactions occur in the thylakoid membranes, which are organized into stacks known as grana in most higher plants. The structural integrity of these membranes is essential for the process, as the light reactions rely on the formation of a proton gradient and an electrical charge across the intact thylakoid lamellae to drive the synthesis of ATP and NADPH.1342