Pollen fossilized in amber with organic cell contents.

Pollen fossilized in amber with organic cell contents, The cell contents are still present inside almost every fossil pollen grain embedded in amber of two different origins (Lower Eocene amber from Paris Basin, Tertiary Baltic amber): they are here described after the observation of numerous extracted grains. Some structures are identified, among which probably the nucleus. Because of their confining in this very peculiar fossilization medium, the cell contents were not permineralized but remained somewhat close to the original organic condition, hence offering a field of research about fossil intracellular structure and palaeo-biochemistry, some organic molecules remaining potentially preserved. (C) 2001 Academie des sciences / Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.