Plant Tissues

The tissues of a plant are organized into 3 distinct tissue systems: Dermal tissue

Ground tissue
Vascular tissue The dermal tissue protects the plant and prevents it from losing water Dermal tissue is mainly the epidermis of the plant

Ground Tissue
Ground tissue fills the interior of the plant It functions in photosynthesis, support, protection, & regeneration It contains parenchyma, collenchyma, & sclerenchyma cells Parenchyma cells correspond best to the typical plant cell

Least specialized (can differentiate)

Example = roots developing from stem cut, then placed in water

Collenchyma
Collenchyma cells are like parenchyma except they have thicker primary walls Often form bundles beneath the epidermis Give flexible support to immature regions of plant body Example = strands in celery stalks are mostly these cells

Sclerenchyma
Sclerenchyma cells have thick secondary wall embedded with lignin (highly resistant substance that makes walls tough & hard) Most sclerenchyma cells are nonliving Support mature regions of plant Two types of cells are fibers (commercially important) and sclereids (seed coats & nutshells

Vascular Tissue
Transports water and nutrients in a plant and provides support; 2 types: xylem transports water & minerals from roots to leaves

phloem transports sucrose and other organic compounds from leaves to roots
In roots, vascular tissue is located in vascular cylinder In stem, it forms vascular bundle In leaves, it is found in leaf veins

Xylem
Contains 2 types of conducting cells: tracheids & vessel elements (VE) Both are hollow and nonliving Both are sclerenchyma cells Tracheids are less obvious transport but water moves across end & side walls because of pits (depressions)

VE are larger and form continuous vessel

Also contains parenchyma cells that store various substances

Phloem
Conducting cells (lacking nuclei) are sieve-tube members which form a continuous sieve tube Collenchyma & parenchyma Sieve = cluster of pores in end walls (sieve plate) Each member has a companion cell (with a nucleus that may control & maintain life of the sieve member) Connected by plasmodesmata (cytoplasmic strands that connect cells)

Root Organization
The dicot root is divided into 3 zones, where cells are in various stages of differentiation: Zone of maturation (contains fully differentiated cells - root hairs) Zone of elongation (cells lengthen as they specialize) Zone of cell division (cells divide and become part of zone above) Root apical meristem protected by root cap

Dicot Root
Zone of maturation reveals specialized tissues:

Epidermis (outer single cell layer; may have root hairs)

Cortex (loosely packed parenchyma cells; next to epidermis; food storage) Endodermis (forms boundary between cortex & vascular cylinder; regulate access of water & minerals to vascular bundle) Vascular tissue (xylem star shaped; phloem surrounds; pericycle first layer - can divide to develop lateral roots)

Monocot Root
Monocot roots have same growth zones as dicot roots, but they do not undergo secondary growth Ground tissue of monocot root is pith (centrally located) Surrounded by vascular ring composed of alternating xylem and phloem bundles

Monocot roots also have epidermis, cortex, endodermis & pericycle

Stem Organization
Shoot apical meristem (shoot tip) produces new cells that elongate and increase length of stem (protected in terminal bud)

When stems grow, internodes lengthen

Mature vascular bundles contain fully differentiated xylem, phloem, & lateral meristem called vascular cambium (produce secondary xylem & phloem)

Stem Organization
Herbaceous stems (nonwoody) exhibit only primary growth In dicots, epidermis followed by cortex tissue, vascular bundles in a ring, and an inner pith In monocots, vascular bundles are scattered throughout the stem, and often there is no welldefined cortex or well-defined pith

Stem Organization
A woody plant exhibits both primary (length) and secondary (girth) growth Secondary tissues develop from lateral meristems: vascular cambium & cork cambium Woody stem has 3 areas: bark (cork, cork cambium, & secondary phloem) wood (secondary xylem; creates annual ring)

pith (center tissue)

Stem Diversity
Aboveground horizontal stems are called stolons Produce new plants where nodes touch the ground Example = strawberry plant Underground horizontal stems are called rhizomes Some have enlarged portions called tubers which function in food storage

Leaf Organization
Top and bottom has layer of epidermal tissue that often has protective hairs that produce irritating substances (protect against predation) Outer, waxy cuticle and stomata keep leaves from drying out Body of leaf is composed of mesophyll, with 2 regions: palisade mesophyll (elongated cells) spongy mesophyll (irregular cells bounded by air spaces to increase surface area for gas exchange)

Leaf Diversity
Shade plants have broad, wide leaves, while desert plants have reduced leaves with shrunken stomata Cactus has modified spiny leaves to protect fleshy stem from predation Cucumber plant has modified tendril leaves that attach plant to physical support Venus flytrap has modified leaves that trap insect prey for nitrogen