Plant cells

• Features of a plant cell

  • cytoplasm
  • nucleus
  • ribosome
  • vacuole
  • mitochondrion
  • cell membrane
  • cell wall
  • chloroplast
• Chloroplasts

  • organelles
  • contains the green pigment, chlorophyll
  • absorbs light energy for photosynthesis
  • contains the enzymes needed for photosynthesis
• Cell wall

  • made from cellulose fibres
  • strengthens the cell
  • supports the plant
• Permanent vacuole

  • filled with cell sap
  • help keep the cell turgid
• Specialised plant cells

  • root hair cells
  • xylem cells
  • phloem
• Root hair cells

  • has a large surface area to provide contact with soil water
  • has thin walls so as not to restrict the movement of water
• Xylem cell

  • there are no top or bottom walls between xylem vessels so there is a continuous column of water running through them
  • their walls become thickened and woody
  • support the plant
  • walls are thickened with lignin
• Phloem

  • strands of cytoplasm run through the holes in the sieve plates, connecting the sieve tubes that make up the phloem
  • dissolved sugars and amino acids can be transported both up and down the stem
  • companion cells, adjacent to the sieve tubes provide energy required to transport substances in the phloem
• plant cells can be observed in a laboratory, using a light microscope