Plastids reside in all plant cells & take on different forms in relation to their cellular function biochemistry & storage capacity. The modern era of molecular biology & molecular genetics has enabled much to be learnt about how plastids function & how they relate to their evolutionary past. In this accessible text Kevin Pyke expertly describes how the plastids are highly complex organelles at the very core of plant cellular function providing final year undergraduate & graduate students with an overview of plastid biology & recent developments in the field. Topics covered include: a consideration of different plastid types & how they relate to cell function; plastid genomes & how proteins are imported into plastids; photosynthesis & core aspects of plastid biochemistry; plastid signalling & functionality within a cellular context; & plastid genetic manipulation. Supplementary colour images are available online at www.cambridge.org/9780521885010.