Ultra structure of plant cell

Plantcellsareeukaryoticcells. Plantcellcontainscytoplasmandnucleus. Roughandsmoothendoplasmicreticulumspread throughoutthecytoplasm. ItalsocontainsGolgibodiesandmitochondria.

Cellwall
Theplantcellwallconsistsofseverallayers. Cellwallismadeupofcellulosefibres. Layersofcellulosefibresareheldtogetherby hemicelluloses,pectinandlignin Therearemainlythreelayersinthecellwall middlelamella primarycellwall secondarycellwall

MIDDLE LAMELLA

It is the first layer to form when a plant cell divides into two new cells. It is made largely of pectic compounds and proteins. This helps to hold cell walls of neighbouring cells together.
PRIMARY CELL WALL

Formed after the middle lamella. Consist of a rigid skeleton of cellulose micro fibrils arranged randomly.
SECONDARY CELL WALL

Formed after cell enlargement is completed. It is made of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Cellulose is arranged in parallel rows.

Functions of cell wall

Maintainthestructureofthecell. Pathwayfortheexchangeofmaterials. Giveprotectionfrommechanicalinjury andpathogens. Givesstructuralsupportandprotection. Actasapressurevessel,preventingover expansionwhenwaterentersthecell

Chloroplast
Theyarelargeorganelles. Biconvexshape. Formedfromanunspecializedstemcellcalled leucoplast. Surroundedbyanenvelope. Outerandinnerphospholipidmembrane. Mostchloroplastsoccurinthemesophyllcellsof theleaves.

 Thematerialwithinthechloroplastisstroma. StromacontainsmallDNAandribosomes. Flatteneddiscshapedphotosyntheticsitecalled thylakoids arepresentwithinthestroma. Thylakoidsarearrangedinstalkscalledgrana.

Functions of chloroplast
Itisthesiteofphotosynthesisinplants. Chlorophyllpigmentsarefoundinthe thylakoidmembrane. Chlorophyllpigmentstrapenergyfrom thesunlight.

Amyloplast
Colourlessplastidsandmembranebound organellesinwhichstarchgrainsarestored. Responsibleforthesynthesisandstorageofstarch granules.(amylopectin) Convertsstarchbackintosugars. Presentinlargenumbersinfruitsandunderground storagetissue. Theycanchangeintochloroplast

Vacuole
Membraneboundandfluidfilledspaceinsidethe cytoplasm. Vacuoleisapermanentstructureinplantcell. Itisfilledwithcellsap(asolutionofvarious substancesinwater). Thiscausesthewatertomoveintothecellby osmosis. Keepsthecellturgidandthewholeplantupright. Reducesthediffusiondistancebypushingthe organellestowardstheperiphery.

 Maintainingplantcellshape. Usedforthestorageofdifferentsubstanceslike betacyaninpigmentinbeetroot, proteinsinthecellsofseedsandfruits, lyticenzymes wasteproductsand chemicals(digitalis,apoisoninfoxgloves)

Tonoplast
Vacuole of the plant cell is surrounded by a membrane called tonoplast. It separates the vacuolar content from the cytoplasmic content. Composed of partially permeable membrane. Made up of phospholipid bilayer and proteins.

Plasmodesmata
Cytoplasmic bridges between the cells. These are narrow fluid filled channels. Intracellular exchange of materials occur through these channels. The inter connected cytoplasm of the cell is called symplast.

 TheseareformedwhenportionsofERaretrapped betweenthemiddlelamella.

Pits
Atsomeplacesthecellwallisthinbecauseonly thefirstlayerofthecelluloseisdeposited. Theseareasarecalledpits. Eachpithasapitchamberandapitmembrane. Pitsareoftwotypes simpleandborderedpits.

Simplepit
Thereisnosecondarywallinthesimplepit. Widthisuniform.

Borderedpit
Secondarywalloverhangsthepit. Widthisnotuniform.

Function: celltocellcommunication

Comparison
Animalcell
Donothavefixed shape Absent Smalland temporary Absent Glycogen Present

Differences
Shape Cellwall Vacuole Chloroplast Foodstorage Centriole

Plantcell
Havefixedshape Present Verylargeand permanent Present Starch Absent