The plastid is an organelle found in plant cells that is undifferentiated and takes on many roles depending on what the cell needs it for. In photosynthetic cells in leaves, the plastid is known as the chloroplast and its main function is to create sugar through the process of photosynthesis. In petals, the plastid turns into a chromoplast and is used to create pigments to color the cells. In roots, the plastid becomes an amyloplast which uses dense starch to sense the direction of gravity so the roots know where to grow. The undifferentiated plastid is very similar to a stem cell in which it contains the DNA to become any one of these organelles. One thing that makes the plastid different from stem cells is its ability to become undifferentiated again. Some plants are able to take the differentiated plastid like a chromoplast and turn it into an undifferentiated plastid so that it can perform another task. This remarkable organelle is just one thing that makes plants so spectacular, and successful.
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