Plants: Cell & Tissue Types

Plants: Cell & Tissue Types

• Plants are generally composed of specialized tissue types
• Some tissues are composed of 1 type of cell - simple tissues
• Some composed of more than one - complex tissues

Cell types
Parenchyma

• Most common cell found in most plants
• Have many functions
• Storage
• Photosynthesis
• Secretion
• Have thinner, evenly thickened cell walls

Parenchyma cells

Collenchyma

• Less common than Parenchyma
• Function is primarily support (but this is flexible tissue)
• Have unevenly thickened cell walls (esp. at corners)

Collenchyma cells

Sclerenchyma

• Less common than both above cell types
• Are used exclusively for rigid support
• Have primary cell walls, and thick secondary cell walls

Sclerenchyma cells

Complex Tissue Types
Xylem
Are conducting tissues in plants
Conduct H₂O and minerals upwards into plant
Are complex tissues consisting of parenchyma, and 2 specialized cells vessel elements & tracheids
Are long hollow cells which are dead at maturity

Vessel Elements & Tracheids

Phloem

• Another conducting tissue in plants
• Conducts food throughout plant
• Complex tissue consisting of 4 types of cells
• Seive tube members
• Are long cells connected end-to-end dead at maturity
• Connected by seive like ends called seive plates
• Companion cells
• Located next to Seive tubes
• Assist in moving nutrients and H2O in-out of seive tubes
• Fibers
• Function for support
• Parenchyma

Seive tube members & Companion cells

Summary of Cell & Tissue types