TISSUES
GRADE 10
TERM 2
A tissue is a group of similar cells which perform a common
function.
PLANT TISSUES
Plant tissue is divided into two main groups:
• Meristematic tissue (Actively dividing tissue in which new cells are continual, formed by
mitosis. The cells are not yet differentiated to perform a specific function.)
✓ Apical meristems
✓ Lateral meristems
• Permanent tissue (Found between xylem and phloem in the vascular bundles of
dicotyledonous plants and is known ad cambium).
✓ epidermis (root hair, guard cells)
✓ parenchyma
✓ collenchyma
✓ sclerenchyma
✓ vascular tissue: xylem & phloem
APICAL MERISTEMS LATERAL MERISTEMS
Consist of a group of cells that are found near the Lateral meristem is found between the xylem and
tips of roots and stems, are responsible for the phloem in the vascular bundles of
growth in length by mitosis. dicotyledonous plants and is known as
cambium.
STRUCTURE: STRUCTURE:
• The cells are relatively small. • Its cells are similar to those of the apical
• The cell walls are thin. meristem, except that the cells are flatter and
• Vacuoles are absent. slightly elongated.
• The cells are cube-shaped.
• The cell nuclei are large and prominent. • The cells have thicker cell walls than the cells
• There are no intercellular spaces. of the apical meristem.
FUNCTION:
Responsible for primary growth of the plant. FUNCTION:
New cells formed by mitosis result in secondary
growth (growth in thickness) in
dicotyledonous stems.
Permanent tissues
➢ EPIDERMIS
• Forms the outer layer around roots, stems and leaves.
• Thin-walled, single layered, covering the whole plant serving a s a protective function.
Basic structure:
✓ Epidermal cells are brick-shaped and arranged in a single layer.
✓ There are no intercellular air spaces between the cells.
✓ The epidermal cells of leaves and stems are covered by a waxy layer, the cuticle.
Cuticle reduces the loss of water vapour, allows sunlight to pass through for photosynthesis and
protects against infections by viruses, bacteria and fungi.
➢ The brick shaped epidermal cells can be modified into root hairs or the guard cells of
stoma.
Root hairs
• Root hairs are unicellular, thin-walled outgrowths of the root epidermis.
• Cuticle is absent.
• Root hairs increase the absorption area of the root.
Guard cells of stoma
• Guard cells mainly occur in the epidermis of leaves.
• A stoma is formed by two bean-shaped guard cells.
• Between the two guard cells is an opening called the stomatal pore.
• Guard cells contain chloroplasts.
• The walls of the guard cells are unevenly thickened; they have a thin outer wall and a
thick inner wall.
Functions of the epidermis
• The epidermis protects the inner tissues in a plant.
In leaves and stems.
• Cuticle prevents water loss by evaporation.
• Stomata allows gases to enter and leave the plant.
• Allows sunlight to pass through for photosynthesis.
In roots.
• Increases surface area for water absorption from the soil.
• Guard cells of the stoma controls the opening and closing of the stomatal pore.
➢ PARENCHYMA
• It is the most abundant plant tissue
BASIC STRUCTURE:
✓ Large with thin cell walls
✓ Large vacuole
✓ Large intercellular air spaces
✓ Round to oval in shape
✓ Parenchyma containing chloroplast are called
chlorenchyma.
FUNCTIONS:
✓ Stores water, starch and sugar (fruits)
✓ Acts as a packing tissue
✓ The vacuole provides rigidity because of turgor pressure.
✓ Intercellular air spaces allows gaseous exchange to take place.
➢ SCLERENCHYMA
• Found in leaves, stems and roots.
BASIC STRUCTURE:
✓ The cell walls are evenly thickened with lignin
✓ Each cell has a small lumen (cell cavity).
✓ The cell contents are relatively inactive.
✓ There are two types of cells: sclereids and fibres.
✓ Sclereids are more or less round in shape.
✓ Fibres are more elongated.
FUNCTIONS:
✓ Sclerenchyma serves as strengthening tissue.
✓ It provides mechanical support to the plant.
➢ COLLENCHYMA
Collenchyma usually occurs in young, growing herbaceous stems.
BASIC STRUCTURE:
✓ The cell walls are unevenly thickened with cellulose.
✓ Most thickening occurs in the corners of the cell walls.
FUNCTIONS:
✓ Collenchyma serves as strengthening tissue.
✓ It provides mechanical support to the plant.
VASCULAR TISSUE
• These are conducting tissues. Consisting of xylem and phloem and forms the transport
system of the plant.
• Xylem and phloem occur in the root, stem and leaves of the plant.
1. XYLEM
• Regarded as dead tissue, it contains no living material.
• Made up of cells called xylem vessels and xylem tracheids. (on the next slide)
Functions:
✓ Transports water and mineral salts from the roots to the rest of the plant.
✓ Provides plants strength and support.
Xylem Vessels Xylem Tracheids
• Consist of elongated, hollow cells connected end to • Elongated cells with tapered ends.
end, forming long tubes for rapid movement of
water. • Also consists of dead cells
• Consist of dead cells (has no cytoplasm) with no • Walls thickened by lignin with pits that connect
cross walls to form a continuous tube. adjacent cells
• Tapered walls at the end provides strength for lateral
• Cell walls are thickened by lignin and unevenly transport
thickened for additional strength and support.
• Water moves more slowly in tracheids than in xylem
• Walls have pits to enable transport between the vessels
xylem vessels.
2. PHLOEM
• Consists of living cells with unthickened cell walls
• Consist of sieve tubes and companion cells.
Functions:
✓ Transports manufactured food from the leaves to the rest of the plant. (translocation)
Sieve tubes
• Elongated living cells filled with cytoplasm joined end to end.
• Holes called pits are formed at the end walls forming sieve plates
• Cell walls are thin without lignin.
• No nucleus.
Companion cells
• Found next to sieve tube
• Has a large nucleus
• Responsible for all metabolic activities of the sieve tubes.
Plant Organs
Group of different tissues that
perform a specific function.
1. The Leaf
• Purpose of the leaf is to manufacture food by photosynthesis.
• Photosynthesis is a process in which radiant energy trapped b
chlorophyll combines water and carbon dioxide to form energy
rich glucose.
Functions:
✓ traps sunlight for photosynthesis.
✓ Allows gaseous exchange to take place through the stomata for
photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration.
✓ Transports water and produced nutrients.
External structure of a leaf (pg. 28 of booklet for
functions)
Internal structure of a leaf
Consists of:
• Mesophyll
• Epidermis
• Vascular bundles
Leaf section Structure Function
Epidermis • Covers upper and lower surfaces of the • Protects the underlying tissues.
leaf. • Cuticle reduces excessive moisture loss.
• Transparent and do not contain • Allow light through for photosynthesis.
chloroplasts. • Stomata are responsible for gaseous
• Waxy cuticle covers the epidermis. exchange into and out of leaf
Lower epidermal cells contain stomata
Vascular • Xylem • Xylem transports water and dissolved mineral
bundles • Phloem salts to the mesophyll cells
• Phloem transports produced organic
nutrients to other parts of the plant.
Mesophyll • Palisade cells: • Palisade cells are primarily responsible for
(Palisade and ✓ Elongated cells under the upper epidermis. photosynthesis
spongy mesophyll) ✓ Contain large amount of chloroplasts.
✓ No intercellular air spaces, cell walls are thin.
• Spongy cells:
✓ Round parenchyma cells
✓ Large intercellular air spaces. • Spongy cells are also responsible for photosynthesis
and gaseous exchange
✓ Contain chloroplasts.
Classwork
Study the diagram of a cross-section through a leaf and answer the questions that follow.
1. Write down the LETTER(S) of the following parts:
1.1 Where most chloroplasts are found.
1.2 Epidermal tissue.
2. What are parts C and D collectively called?
3. Tabulate ONE structural difference between parts E and F.
2. DICOTYLEDONOUS ROOT
FUNCTIONS:
✓ Absorb water and mineral salts from the soil.
(absorption)
✓ Firmly holds the plant in the soil.
(anchorage)
External structure of a dicot root
Mature region- side(lateral roots develop)
Root hair region- root hairs absorbs water and
minerals salts
Region of elongation- cells become elongated
as root grows
Root cap- surrounds and protects the
underlying layers
Internal structure of dicot root
Consists of three regions:
1. Epidermis
2. Cortex
3. Central cylinder
How to identify a dicot stem?
✓ Xylem is arranged in a form of a
cross
✓ phloem is found in between
thecross.
✓ Clearly defined endodermis is visible
✓ Root hairs are present
Epidermis
• epidermis forms the outer layer of the root
and contain finger-like outgrowths, the root
hairs.
• No cuticle present
Cortex
• The cortex consists of parenchyma cells with
large intercellular air spaces.
• The inner-most layer of the cortex consists of
a single layer of cells called the endodermis.
• The radial and transverse walls of the
endodermis contain thickened strips known as
the Casparian strips
Central cylinder
• The central cylinder: under the epidermis
there are thin-walled cells called the
pericycle. On the inside of the pericycle is the
vascular tissue that consists of xylem and
phloem.
Functions of tissues in a dicot root:
Root hairs increase the absorption surface for the uptake of water and mineral salts.
Epidermis protects the underlying tissues.
Parenchyma allows water and mineral salts to pass through to the stele by osmosis and it stores
starch.
Endodermis regulates the passage of water (by means of the Casparian strips) from the cortex to the
xylem.
Pericycle forms lateral roots.
Xylem transports water and mineral salts from the roots to the rest of the plant. The lignified thick
walls support and strengthen the plant.
Phloem transports manufactured organic substances from the photosynthesising parts to the
rest of the plant.
Casparian strips found in the endodermal cells , channel the water into the root xylem via the
passage cells.
Cambium separates xylem from the phloem tissue. Meristematic tissue that forms xylem and
phloem.
Classwork
5 The diagram below shows a cross section through a dicotyledonous root.
5.1 Identify part:
(a) A (1)
(b) B (1)
5.2 Give the LETTER and the NAME of the part that:
(a) Give rise to side/lateral roots (2)
(b) Transports organic food in the plant (2)
(c) Stores starch in the root (2)
(d)Transport water in the plant (2)
(10)
