Aleurone
The aleurone is a cellular layer of the seed endosperm found in many cereal grains, such as wheat, barley, maize, and oats. It consists of living, often relatively large and metabolically active cells that lie just inside the seed’s outer layers (the bran) surrounding the starchy endosperm. The aleurone is rich in proteins, lipids, minerals, and enzymes, and it plays a key role in seed nutrition and germination.
In most cereals, the aleurone is a distinct outer layer of the endosperm, typically only one cell
During germination, gibberellins produced by the embryo diffuse to the aleurone layer and induce the synthesis
The aleurone layer has practical significance for milling and nutrition. It contributes to the bran fraction