Plant tissues

• What is the first course learning outcome mentioned in the study material?

  Identify the parts and functions of plant tissues.
• What is the second course learning outcome mentioned in the study material?

  Describe and differentiate the various transport mechanisms that regulate the transfer of water and solutes in plants.
• What is the hierarchy of plant structure from cells to organ systems?

  • Group cells
  • Tissues
  • Organs
  • Organ system
• What are the three main types of plant tissue systems?

  1. Dermal Tissues
  2. Ground Tissues
  3. Vascular Tissues
• What is the function of dermal tissue in plants?

  Transpiration, gas exchange, and defense.
• What does the epidermis cover in plants?

  Roots, stems, leaves, and fruits.
• What is the cuticle made of in the epidermis?

  A continuous layer made up of fatty material called cutin.
• What are stomata and their function?

  Specialized epidermal cells that control air exchange (CO2 and O2) and water loss from plants.
• What are the functions of the epidermis in plants?

  1. Mechanical support
  2. Protection from desiccation and pathogens
  3. Gas exchange
  4. Restriction of water loss by evaporation
  5. Water and mineral storage
• What is the periderm and when is it formed?

  It is formed during secondary growth, replacing the primary epidermis.
• What is ground tissue in plants?

  It is located inner to the dermal tissue and is composed of simple tissues like parenchyma.
• What are the two main types of vascular tissues?

  Xylem and phloem.
• How is vascular tissue arranged in plants?

  It may be scattered in ground tissue or irregularly arranged forming a ring.
• What is the ground tissue of leaves called?

  Mesophyll, bound by upper and lower epidermis.
• What are the types of plant tissues?

  1. Meristematic

  • Apical
  • Intercalary
  • Lateral

  1. Permanent

  • Simple
  • Parenchyma
  • Aerenchyma
  • Chlorenchyma
  • Pallisade
  • Spongy
  • Collenchyma
  • Sclerenchyma
  • Fibers
  • Sclereids
• What are meristematic tissues and where are they found?

  Actively dividing cells found at shoot tips, root tips, vascular cambium, and cork cambium.
• What is the role of apical meristematic tissue?

  Responsible for primary growth, such as plant length.
• What is the function of intercalary meristematic tissue?

  Responsible for the elongation of internodes in Poaceae members.
• What is the function of lateral meristematic tissue?

  Responsible for secondary growth.
• What are the characteristics of simple permanent tissues?

  • Contain cells of similar structure and function
  • Have a common origin
• What is parenchyma and where is it found?

  The fundamental tissue found in every part of the plant body, such as pith, cortex, mesophyll, and fruits.
• What are the functions of parenchyma cells?

  Involved in storage of starch, sucrose, protein, water, and mineral substances.
• What is aerenchyma?


  Parenchyma with large intracellular spaces filled with air, providing strength to aquatic plants.
• What is chlorenchyma?


  Parenchyma cells that contain numerous chloroplasts, seen in leaves and young shoots.
• What are the two types of chlorenchyma?

  Pallisade (elongated and compactly arranged) and spongy (spaciously and irregularly arranged).
• What is collenchyma and its function?

  Cells with thickened walls that provide elastic support to stems and leaves.
• Where is collenchyma usually found?

  Near the surface in the cortex around vascular bundles of leaf petioles and stems.
• What is sclerenchyma and its function?


  Cells that provide mechanical support due to thick lignified secondary walls.
• What are fibers in sclerenchyma?


  Long, spindle-shaped structures found in xylem and phloem.
• What are sclereids?


  Shorter than fibers, occurring singly or in groups, commonly found in fruit walls and seed coats.
• What are the two types of complex or vascular tissues?

  1. Xylem (Water-conducting tissue)
  2. Phloem (Food-conducting tissue)
• What are the components of xylem?

  Tracheary elements, tracheids, vessel elements, fibers, and living parenchyma cells.
• How do tracheids function in xylem?

  They are elongated cells with bordered wall pits for water conduction.
• What is the function of vessel elements in xylem?

  Conduct water and nutrients, aligned end-to-end to form long tubes.
• What are bordered pits in xylem?

  Depressions in the primary walls of tracheids and vessel elements that facilitate water conduction.
• What is phloem and its components?

  Food-conducting tissue composed of sieve elements, fibers, and parenchyma cells.
• What are sieve cells and where are they found?

  Elongated, thin-walled cells found in the phloem of conifers and primitive vascular plants.
• What are sieve-tube elements?

  Cells found in advanced flowering plants that form long end-to-end columns called sieve tubes.
• What are companion cells?

  A specialized type of parenchyma associated with sieve tube elements.
• What are the transport mechanisms in plants?

  • Passive transport
  • Simple diffusion
  • Osmosis
  • Facilitated diffusion
  • Active transport
  • Active transport
  • Filtration
  • Endocytosis (phagocytosis and pinocytosis)
  • Exocytosis