Cell Organization in Plants: Form 4 Biology Chapter 2 (B) Cell Organisation

Form 4 Biology Chapter 2 (b) Cell Organisation
Cell Organization in Plants

1. There are two main types of tissues in plants:
meristematic tissues and permanent tissues.
2. Meristematic tissues consist of small cells which
have thin walls, large nuclei, dense cytoplasm and
no vacuoles.
3. Meristematic tissue comprises of young, actively
dividing cells which have not undergone
differentiation.
4. The main plant meristems are at the apex of
shoot and the tip of the root.
5. Permanent tissues comprise of more mature cells
that are either undergoing or have undergone
differentiation, and have lost the ability to divide.
6. There are three types of permanent tissues:
a) Epidermal tissues
b)Ground tissues
c) Vascular tissues
A)
Epidermal tissue
1
1. Epidermal tissue is the outermost layer that

covers the stem, leaves, and roots of young
plants. It forms a protective layer to protect the
inner tissue.
2. The epidermis is a layer of elongated, flattened
cells, one-cell thick, which have large vacuoles,
and covers the whole of the primary plant body.
3. The cells secrete cutin which forms a layer of waxy
cuticle on the outer surface of the epidermis. The
waxy cuticle reduces water loss through
evaporation from the plant, and also prevents the
entry of pathogens.
4. The epidermis of leaves have specialized cells
which contain chloroplasts and are distributed
among epidermal cells.
5. These are pairs of guard cells which encloses a
stoma.
6. The epidermis is transparent and without
chloroplasts, it allows light to reach the mesophyll
layers of leaves for photosynthesis.
7. Stomatal pores in the epidermis allow gaseous
exchange.
8. Root epidermal cells have long projections called
root hairs to increases the surface area for water
absorption.
B)
Ground tissue
Parenchyma tissue
1. Parenchyma is the most common plant tissue that

forms the bulk of the packing tissue within plants.
2. Parenchyma cells are living cells, usually spherical
and thin-walled, which have one large vacuole
with the cytoplasm pushed to the cells periphery.
3. Parenchyma cells have thin primary cell walls
containing cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. The
walls are permeable to water, and permit the
passage of solutes.
4. Parenchyma cells are arranged loosely with
many intercellular air spaces to allow
exchange of gases to take place between the
plant tissues and the external environment.
5. The most important function of the parenchyma

cells of roots and stems is the storage of food
and water.
6. When tightly packed and turgid, parenchyma cells
give support and shape to herbaceous plants.
7. The parenchyma tissues can differentiate to form
specialized cells which carry out specific functions.
8. The cells include the mesophyll, endodermis,
pericycle and secretory cells.
Collenchyma tissue
1. Collenchyma is a simple tissue with loving cells.

2. Collenchyma cells are polygonal, elongated and
have unevenly thickened cell walls.
3. The thickened areas are usually at the corner of

the cell walls.
4. Thickening materials include cellulose and pectin.
5. Air spaces between collenchyma cells are very
small or non-existent.
6. Collenchyma cells are not lignified.
7. Collenchyma tissue provides herbaceous plants
with mechanical strength and flexibility.
8. It allows the cells to expand and be stretched in
young plants and in non-woody plants for growth.
9. Collenchyma tissue is usually found in herbaceous
plants, located below the epidermis of the leaves.
10.
Some of the collenchyma cells contain
chloroplasts which carry out photosynthesis.
Sclerenchyma tissue
1. The main functions of sclerenchyma cells are for
supporting and strengthening plant parts.
Some sclerenchyma tissues are also protective in
nature.
2. Sclerenchyma cells usually die after maturity,
have secondary cell walls that are thickened
uniformly and are lignified.
3. The thickened cell walls are very hard and
impermeable to water, solute and gases.
4. Sclerenchyma fibres are found below the epidermis
of the stems or roots, usually bundles
5. It acts as supporting tissue. Collectively, the
tightly packed sclerenchyma fibres with thick
lignified walls provide the plant with mechanical
strength and rigidity
C)
Vascular Tissue
Xylem
1. Xylem consists of tracheids and xylem vessels.
These are long tubes joined together end to end
from the roots right up to the shoots.
2. The cell walls of the xylem are thickened with
lignin which prevents food substances from
entering the cells. Consequently, the xylem tissue

dies upon reaching maturity.
3. When the cytoplasm disintegrates, a hollow tube is
left behind. This feature allows water and mineral
to flow easily through the xylem vessels.
4. Xylem conducts water and minerals from the
roots to the leaves.
5. It provides support and mechanical strength to
the plant.
Phloem
1. Phloem tissue consists of parenchyma cells, sieve
tubes and companion cells.
2. The conducting cells of phloem are the sieve tubes
which have pores at both ends, called sieve plates.
3. Sieve tubes obtain nutrients and energy from the
adjacent companion cells
4. Phloem transports organic substances such as
carbohydrates and amino acids from the leaves to
storage organ and to growing parts of plants.

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Form 4 Biology Chapter 2 (b) Cell Organisation