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stroma
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Diagram of a chloroplast showing its structure, including the outer and inner membranes, stroma, thylakoids stacked into grana, stroma lamellae, lumen, and intermembrane space. Chloroplast
Explore the anatomy of a plant's mesophyll to understand how chlorophyll generates a green appearance
The Process of Photosynthesis in Plants Explained
How Does Photosynthesis Work in Plants?
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Diagram of a chloroplast showing its structure, including the outer and inner membranes, stroma, thylakoids stacked into grana, stroma lamellae, lumen, and intermembrane space.
Chloroplast structure The internal (thylakoid) membrane vesicles are organized into stacks, which reside in a matrix known as the stroma. All the chlorophyll in the chloroplast is contained in the membranes of the thylakoid vesicles.

The stroma is the colorless matrix within a chloroplast where the "dark reactions" of photosynthesis occur. These reactions do not directly require light but use chemical energy from ATP and NADPH, produced during the light-dependent reactions, to synthesize sugars.123

Within the stroma, soluble enzymes catalyze the conversion of carbon dioxide and minerals into carbohydrates and other organic compounds. The key enzyme RuBisCO facilitates carbon fixation by attaching carbon dioxide to a five-carbon molecule, initiating the Calvin-Benson cycle. This cycle ultimately produces glucose and other carbohydrates, which are essential for the plant's growth and energy needs.213

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  1. photosynthesis - Products of the dark reactions
  2. photosynthesis - Structural features
  3. chloroplast

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