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In biology, a thylakoid is a membrane-bound compartment found inside chloroplasts and cyanobacteria. These are the sites of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

Thylakoids are typically flattened sacs, and they are often arranged in stacks called grana. The membranes of the thylakoids contain chlorophyll and other pigments that capture light energy. This captured energy is used to split water molecules, releasing oxygen and generating energy-carrying molecules like ATP and NADPH. These molecules are then used in the next stage of photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into sugars.1234

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