plant cell specilisation

• Root hair cells


  • Root hair increases surface area for water and mineral absorption
  • No chloroplasts as they are underground and do not require photosynthesis
• Xylem cells


  • Thick walls containing lignin for support
  • End walls between cells have broken down to form long tubes for easy flow of water and dissolved minerals
  • No internal structures like nucleus, cytoplasm, vacuole or chloroplasts
• Phloem cells


  • Phloem vessel cells have no nucleus and limited cytoplasm
  • Phloem vessel cells have porous end walls called sieve plates to allow flow of dissolved sugars
  • Phloem vessel cells have companion cells with mitochondria to provide energy
• Specialized plant cells are the result of a process called differentiation
• Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll and are the sites of photosynthesis
• Xylem cells carry water and dissolved minerals from roots to leaves
• Phloem tubes carry dissolved sugars up and down the plant